Tampa Electric filed paperwork with the Florida Public Service Commission on Sept. 30. The plan would make big energy users pay for all power infrastructure they need. This comes as utilities brace for an influx of data centers running artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Any new customer expecting peak demand of 50 megawatts or more would become a “large load customer.” They’d face rules stopping costs from landing on current ratepayers. That threshold equals enough electricity for tens of thousands of houses.
“Tampa Electric’s responsibility is very clear. We must protect our existing customers while we’re planning responsibly for the future,” said Tampa Electric spokesperson Cherie Jacobs, according to Tampa Bay 28…