Tampa Electric launches shared solar program

Tampa Electric launched Wednesday a shared solar program called Sunselect.

Residential and small-business customers can subscribe to receive 25 percent, 50 percent, or 100 percent of their energy from solar power. Larger commercial customers can subscribe in increments of 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh).

A 17.5-megawatt (MW) portion of Tampa Electric’s new Lake Hancock Solar plant near Bartow was built for the program.

“Tampa Electric is proud to be the first investor-owned utility in Florida with a shared solar program,” Nancy Tower, president and CEO of Tampa Electric, said. “This is the perfect solution for customers who want renewable energy but cannot or don’t want to install it. It is a simple and meaningful way to commit to solar power – and to let us do all the work.”

Customers will see a new incremental Sun Select charge based on usage on their bill, which will be largely offset by fuel charges which are waived for the same portion of use. For the average residential customer who uses 1,000 kwh per month and subscribes to 50 percent solar, the program will add approximately $17 per month. Customers don’t pay any upfront costs, don’t sign a contract, and can leave the program at any time.

Once all 17.5 MWs are reserved, interested customers will be placed on a waiting list.