Sierra Club Hosts TECO Bill Town Hall

Residents and advocates gathered in Tampa to press the utility on rising monthly electric bills.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Utilities

Live Poll

Are your monthly electricity bills higher than they were a year ago?

Sierra Club Florida hosted a community town hall in Tampa on Thursday, November 5, focused on TECO bill increases. Monthly bills for residential and small business customers using 1,000 kWh per month are over $10 higher than in December 2024.

Why it matters

The event put pressure on the local utility over affordability and accountability in Tampa, where bills remain elevated compared with late 2024. The panel discussed the need for local utility oversight.

Monthly bills at 1,000 kWh usage are over $10 higher than in December 2024, according to the comparison presented at the event. The source does not state how much of the increase is attributable to rate changes versus usage or fuel costs.

The players

Sierra Club Florida

The Florida chapter of the Sierra Club, a national environmental advocacy organization that has pressed utilities on rates and clean energy policy.

TECO (Tampa Electric Company)

The investor-owned electric utility serving Tampa and surrounding areas, a subsidiary of Emera.

The details

Sierra Club Florida and partner organizations held the event titled 'Power & Perspectives: The Energy Dialogue' with more than 25 attendees. The panel included representatives of Sierra Club, Food & Water Watch, and the Hillsborough Affordable Energy Coalition, along with a Tampa City Council member and the city's Sustainability & Resilience Officer.

- December 2024: baseline month for the bill comparison.
- Last year: TECO and Emera CEO compensation figures reported.
- Thursday, November 5, 2026: Sierra Club Florida town hall held in Tampa.

Market Landscape

Investor-owned utilities in Florida set rates through proceedings before the Florida Public Service Commission, which limits direct public input to scheduled hearings. Public forums like this one operate outside that formal docket and tend to shape the record only indirectly.

Households in Tampa using about 1,000 kWh per month are paying more than they did in December 2024. Residents who want to weigh in on utility rates can attend public proceedings before state regulators.