TECO files state plan to protect power customers from data centers
Tampa Electric and Duke Energy submitted plans to protect residential customers from higher electric bills as data centers and other large-load users consider expanding in Florida. Tampa Electric’s proposal would require new large customers to pay for the infrastructure and power supply needed to serve their facilities, while the Florida Public Service Commission reviews the filing.
Florida utilities are submitting plans required under a new state law to manage large electricity users such as data centers without shifting additional costs or reliability risks onto residential customers. Tampa Electric filed its plan with the Florida Public Service Commission, proposing that incoming large industrial customers pay for needed generation, lines, poles and other equipment, as well as a share of existing grid infrastructure.
Tampa Electric serves Hillsborough County and parts of Pasco and Polk counties but currently has no large-load customers, according to spokesperson Cherie Jacobs. Duke Energy filed its plan in April, and the commission is reviewing submissions from utilities statewide. A decision on Tampa Electric’s filing is expected late this year or early next year, while the status of several proposed data center developments in the Tampa Bay region remains unclear.