- What
- Bill payment help for customers in crisis, funded by customers, employees and partners, with shareholders matching donations dollar-for-dollar up to $500,000 each year.
- Who
- Customers with a delinquent final notice and proof of a personal or family crisis, based on eligibility and available funds.
- How
- Contact Metropolitan Ministries, the Salvation Army, or Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg. Bring your account number, ID and the final notice.
Help paying your Tampa Electric bill
There are 7 ways to get help with a Tampa Electric bill: bill assistance, payment plans, budget billing, medical protection and senior programs. Each program below links to its official page, with who qualifies and how to apply.
- 7 programs
- From official pages
- Checked October 21, 2026
SHUTOFF NOTICE?
Call Tampa Electric at 888-223-0800 before the date on the notice and ask for a payment arrangement. If someone in the home is seriously ill, ask about a medical certificate. Apply for energy assistance at the same time.
Help with a bill you cannot pay
Payment plans and more time to pay
- What
- A new payment date that gives you extra time to pay your bill. You get an immediate decision online.
- Who
- Eligible customers. Accounts three or more months past due, scheduled for disconnection, with an unpaid returned payment, or that broke past arrangements may not qualify.
- How
- Log in to your online account and select Payment Arrangement.
Budget billing
- What
- A free program that bases your monthly payment on the average of your bills over the previous 12 months.
- Who
- Residential customers with no overdue balance or pending disconnection, not in Budget Billing in the past 12 months, and not enrolled in Energy Planner.
- How
- Enroll through your online account or call Customer Care at (888) 223-0800.
Medical needs
- What
- Advance notice of planned power interruptions and notice if power may be cut for unpaid bills. It does not give priority restoration or stop disconnection.
- Who
- Households with a resident who depends on life-sustaining electric medical equipment, certified by a Florida-licensed physician.
- How
- Call 813-225-5051.
Seniors and people with disabilities
- What
- Lines up your bill due date with your Social Security, disability, retirement or other income payment. You get 52 days from the statement date to pay.
- Who
- Customers on a fixed income schedule.
- How
- Call 888-223-0800 on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
EHEAP (Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly Program)
- What
- A state program that helps pay home energy costs.
- Who
- Florida households with a resident age 60 or older and income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
- How
- See the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
Free home energy upgrades
- What
- Free energy-saving items such as LED bulbs and caulking, a free Energy Audit, and possibly free duct sealing and ceiling insulation.
- Who
- Qualifying customers in several communities chosen by Tampa Electric.
- How
- Call Tampa Electric at 813-275-3909.
State energy assistance in Florida
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), run by the FloridaCommerce (Florida Department of Commerce), helps households with low income pay heating and cooling bills (the federal LIHEAP program). Call your local LIHEAP provider (community action agency). Use the Find Your Local LIHEAP Provider list on the FloridaCommerce site. Official page.
When the utility cannot shut off service in Florida
- Medical: Each utility must file, as a tariff item, a procedure for shutoff when service is medically essential.
Rule: Rule 25-6.105, F.A.C.. Official text. The protections have conditions: read the rule or ask the utility. You still owe the bill.
To see what your bill should be, use the Tampa Electric bill calculator. To lower it, see the plans and the appliance cost tool. All programs: Tampa Electric assistance page.
How can I get help paying my Tampa Electric bill?
Call Tampa Electric before the due date and ask for a payment arrangement, apply for energy assistance, and ask about its bill assistance programs. This page lists each program with its official link.
utilityratecalc.com is not part of Tampa Electric or a government agency. Programs and amounts change: the official page of each program has the current rules. Checked October 21, 2026.