Tampa Electric to add 600 MW of solar power

Tampa Electric is investing about $800 million to add 600 megawatts (MW) of solar power by the end of 2023.

Currently, Tampa Electric has installed 520 MW of solar, with another 135 MW to be built within a year. By 2023, when this addition is online, the company will have more than 1,250 MW of solar power – enough to power more than 200,000 homes.

“Our customers want a cleaner energy future for themselves – and their children,” Nancy Tower, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric, said. “We are committed to continue to lead Tampa Electric toward cleaner energy while ensuring our prices remain affordable for customers.”

The solar expansion will lower costs for customers and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 500,000 tons every year.

Further, it will significantly change the company’s generation mix away from coal to solar. Tampa Electric has reduced its use of coal by 92 percent and has cut its carbon footprint in half in the past 20 years.

Also, with its increase in solar capacity, Tampa Electric has saved more than 1.4 billion gallons of water. This is critical in a state with concerns over water use.

Tampa Electric serves about 780,000 customers in West Central Florida. Tampa Electric is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., an energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.