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Power Outages Minimal In Fay's Wake

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By RUSSELL RAY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 19, 2008

TAMPA - Local electric companies said very few customers experienced power outages as Tropical Storm Fay bypassed the Bay area.

Progress Energy Florida, Central Florida's largest power provider, said today that power outages caused by the storm were minimal, effecting about 2,000 customers in its 35-county service area which primarily covers Central and North Florida.

The power outages were primarily in Seminole, Highlands and Polk counties, the St. Petersburg-based utility said. Progress Energy Florida serves nearly 1.7 million customers.

The Tampa area was unaffected by the tropical storm, but Tampa Electric, the chief power provider in Hillsborough County, said about 1,100 TECO customers were without power this afternoon.

"Sometimes we have more than that on a typical summer afternoon thunderstorm," said company spokesman Rick Morera.

Morera said the utility expects to restore power to those customers by 6:30 p.m. today.

Reporter Russell Ray can be reached at (813) 259-7870 or rray@tampatrib.com

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