TECO has donated a total of $2 million to support customers affected by the pandemic
To help the community during this unprecedented year, Tampa Electric and TECO Peoples Gas are granting $1 million in bill credits to customers in need.
A one-time $85 bill credit will appear on January bills for residential customers who have received certain federal low-income assistance during 2020, including the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program (EHEAP). There is no need to apply or contact the utilities; the credit will automatically apply to their electric or natural gas bill.
“It is important for our customers to know we are here for them during this difficult time,” said Nancy Tower, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric. “We take pride in being a strong community partner, and we are glad to be able to help ease the burden for thousands of our customers who are most affected by financial hardship.”
The bill credits are part of the utilities’ ongoing efforts to help customers during the pandemic. In 2020, Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas:
- Donated $500,000 to the Share program, which supports customers who struggle with paying their utility bills. They also joined with community partners and received generous donations from employees and customers to provide even more support for the program, benefiting about 5,000 families in 2020.
- Donated $500,000 to other charitable partner organizations working on the front lines of the pandemic, providing critical support to our communities through meals, housing and other assistance.
- Temporarily suspended disconnections for residential and commercial customers.
- Connected customers with utility bill-payment resources and other assistance.
The credits will be funded by shareholders.
Tampa Electric, one of Florida’s largest investor-owned electric utilities, serves about 780,000 customers in West Central Florida. Peoples Gas System, Florida’s largest natural gas distribution utility, serves more than 400,000 customers across the state. Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas are subsidiaries of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
