Tampa Electric Company: disconnection notice

Collect

• delinquency notice
• account balance
• physician's certificate for medically essential service

Steps

1. Before the disconnection date, request a payment arrangement online or call Customer Care.

   OnlinePayment Arrangement request (TECO account) Sign-in required

2. If someone at home depends on continuously operating electric medical equipment, ask Tampa Electric for Medically Essential Service certification by a Florida-licensed physician, and enroll in Medical Watch.

   PhoneMedical Watch enrollment (life-sustaining electric medical equipment) +1-813-225-5051

3. Apply for LIHEAP, EHEAP or the Share program.

   FormPayment assistance (LIHEAP, EHEAP, Share program, Due Date Plus)

4. If Tampa Electric will not help, call the Florida PSC before the disconnection date.

More contacts for this issue

Facts you can cite

• Deadline

  Rule 25-6.105(5)(g), F.A.C. requires at least 5 working days' written notice before discontinuance for nonpayment, separate from any bill. A customer may name a third party to receive a copy of the delinquency notice.

  Source: flrules.org, verified 2026-10-13

• Policy

  Rule 25-6.105(10), F.A.C. bars disconnecting non-commercial service from 12:00 noon on Friday to 8:00 a.m. Monday, and from 12:00 noon the day before a holiday (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas) to 8:00 a.m. the next working day, except for hazards, tampering, fraud or at the customer's request.

  Source: flrules.org, verified 2026-10-13

• Policy

  Tampa Electric tariff 2.14.1 (Sheet 5.161): a residential customer whose electric service is medically essential, certified by a Florida-licensed doctor of medicine, gets a limited extension of up to thirty (30) days beyond the normal disconnection date, with written notice of the new date. The customer must make payment arrangements or other arrangements for the medical needs in that time. Recertification may be required no more than once every 12 months.

  Source: tampaelectric.com, verified 2026-10-13

• Process

  For a Medically Essential Service customer, Tampa Electric must try to phone by 12 noon the day before a scheduled disconnection; if it cannot reach an adult, a field representative visits by 4 PM that day, and may leave written notice and then disconnect on the scheduled date.

  Source: tampaelectric.com, verified 2026-10-13

• Policy

  Tampa Electric's Medical Watch gives advance notice of scheduled maintenance outages and of possible interruption for unpaid bills, but does not provide priority restoration, prevent interruption for non-payment or guarantee continuous service.

  Source: tampaelectric.com, verified 2026-10-13

• Policy

  An account may not qualify for a payment arrangement if it already has one, is three or more months past due, is scheduled for disconnection or already disconnected, has an unsatisfied returned payment, or has not honored past arrangements. Arrangement payments are due by 5 p.m. Eastern on the agreed date, and terms cannot be renegotiated.

  Source: tampaelectric.com, verified 2026-10-13

• Policy

  If service is interrupted for nonpayment, Tampa Electric restores it after the full past-due balance is paid; additional fees may apply.

  Source: tampaelectric.com, verified 2026-10-13

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

1. Customer service

   PhoneCustomer Care (residential) +1-888-223-0800

2. Supervisor

   PhoneCustomer Care (residential) +1-888-223-0800

   Ask for a supervisor. Write down the name and reference number.

3. Written complaint

   FormEmail Customer Care (residential contact form)

4. State agency

   Your state’s utility commission. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

   Florida Public Service Commission, Office of Consumer Assistance & Outreach, 1-800-342-3552. The PSC says to contact the utility first and to contact the PSC if you do not hear back in a reasonable time or are not satisfied.

5. State agency

   Your state’s attorney general. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

   Florida Attorney General.

Watch out

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