To help the community during this unprecedented time of uncertainty, Tampa Electric and TECO Peoples Gas are donating $1 million to local charities that will benefit people financially affected by the pandemic.
“We understand many customers may be experiencing financial hardship during this difficult time,” said Nancy Tower, president and chief executive officer. “These community partners can help ease that burden for thousands of people.”
In response to this pandemic, Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas have suspended disconnections for residential and commercial customers. They encourage customers to stay as current as possible on their utility bills to avoid accumulating a large balance. The utilities are also working with customers to help connect them with utility bill-payment resources and other assistance, as appropriate.
“Our goal is to provide assistance and peace of mind so customers can stay focused on what’s most important – keeping themselves and their family safe and healthy,” said T.J. Szelistowski, president of Peoples Gas. “It is important for our customers to know that we’re here for them.”
The utilities’ charitable contributions are part of their ongoing efforts to help customers during the pandemic. All TECO employees who are able to work from home are doing so. Employees are reducing direct contact with customers and suspending non-essential services, such as Home Energy Audits. For both utilities, employees stand ready to serve customers by phone and online.
Essential work will continue, and you may continue to see TECO employees working in the community, with a focus on safety and social distancing. They are working hard to keep your electricity and natural gas flowing safely as hurricane season approaches.
TECO’s charitable contributions are paid by shareholders and do not affect customer bills.
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 Florida. Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas are subsidiaries of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200326005769/en/
Cherie Jacobs 813.228.4945 ǀ Sylvia Vega 813.228.4381