More power for central AC, EV chargers, additions, kitchen remodels and light commercial build-outs across Tampa. We upgrade homes and businesses from 100 or 150 amps to 200 amps (or more when the numbers call for it), run the load calculation first, pull the City of Tampa or Hillsborough County permit, and coordinate the disconnect and reconnect with TECO. Based in Seminole about 21 miles across the bay, we schedule Tampa service upgrades as planned work — not as a same-day response promise. Licensed (EC#13014717).
Call (727) 476-7079 or request a service upgrade assessment. Office 7 AM–5 PM, weekend service, 24/7 emergency calls.
Why Tampa services run short
Tampa’s median home year is 1985, but the electrical story splits by neighborhood:
- Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights and Hyde Park often started with 60- to 100-amp services that were never meant for central AC, electric cooking and modern appliances all at once
- South Tampa and Palma Ceia remodels keep adding loads — induction ranges, wine rooms, pool equipment, EV chargers — while the original meter and main stay put
- Westshore and airport-area commercial spaces need more capacity for a new tenant, kitchen equipment or shop tools
- 1970s–80s tracts toward Town ‘n’ Country and Carrollwood still carry 100- or 150-amp services that trip when the heat pump and dryer start together
Signs the service can’t keep up: the main breaker trips, lights dim hard when the AC starts, the panel is full of doubled-up breakers, or an insurer, inspector or buyer calls the service undersized.
Service upgrade or panel upgrade?
We’ll tell you which one you actually need:
- A panel upgrade replaces the breaker panel. The power coming into the building stays the same. Many corrosion and 4-point problems are solved here.
- A service upgrade increases the power coming in, usually to 200 amps. That typically includes a new meter can, service entrance conductors, a main disconnect, grounding and bonding, and a new panel, with TECO disconnecting and reconnecting.
Load calculation first — TECO edition
We add up your existing and planned loads using the National Electrical Code method and show you the result.
- Sometimes the existing service is fine and a new panel solves the problem.
- Sometimes load management avoids the upgrade. A load-managed EV charger, or a SPAN smart panel with SPAN PowerUp™, can pause or slow big loads to keep the home within its service rating, which can sometimes avoid a utility service upgrade.^ We’re a SPAN Authorized Installer with 20 SPAN installs.
- Sometimes the upgrade is the right call, especially when the panel is also old, full, corroded or a brand like Federal Pacific or Zinsco. Then every part of the job goes on its own line of your quote.
Adding an EV? See EV charger installation in Tampa.
What’s different about a Tampa / TECO service upgrade
- Utility is TECO, not Duke Energy. Service requirements, meter sockets and disconnect/reconnect scheduling follow Tampa Electric’s process. We handle that coordination so you’re not calling a utility desk between remodel deadlines.
- City vs. County permitting. Inside city limits it’s the City of Tampa Construction Services Division; unincorporated Hillsborough addresses (Town ‘n’ Country, Carrollwood, Westchase and similar) go through Hillsborough County Development Services / HillsGovHub.
- Historic neighborhoods. In Seminole Heights and Hyde Park, service upgrades often pair with rewiring or a full panel replacement because the old equipment and the old wiring fail inspection together.
- Overhead and underground. Older Tampa streets still have overhead drops; many South Tampa and Westshore pockets are underground. Overhead services typically need a new mast and weatherhead. TECO is generally responsible for the service drop or underground lateral and the meter; the property owner is responsible for the mast, weatherhead, meter can and everything inside.
- Commercial and Westshore build-outs. Shops, offices and restaurants along Westshore Boulevard, Kennedy Boulevard and the airport corridor often need more capacity for a new tenant or kitchen. We assess the existing service, coordinate with your engineer or GC if there is one, and handle the permit. See commercial electrical service.
Distance and scheduling from Seminole
Our shop is at 6248 Seminole Blvd, Seminole, FL 33772, roughly 21 miles from central Tampa. The Howard Frankland Bridge and Courtney Campbell Causeway put Westshore and South Tampa on a practical route for scheduled crews. Service upgrades are planned jobs: assessment, quote, permit, TECO date, then install. We do not promise a response time across the bay, and we do not list all-hours office coverage for upgrade visits. Office hours are 7 AM–5 PM with weekend service available; emergency calls are answered 24/7 on their own track.
What’s included
- New meter can and service equipment as required by TECO and the AHJ
- New mast and weatherhead for overhead services
- New panel, Good (ABB) or Best (Siemens) options, with every circuit tested and labeled
- Whole-house surge protection, required by the electrical code adopted in Florida when a home’s service equipment is replaced. See whole-house surge protection.
- Grounding and bonding brought up to current code
- Permit, inspection and TECO coordination
How it works with us
- Site visit and load calculation: meter, panel, service drop, grounding and what you plan to add.
- Itemized quote after the site visit. Every part of the job on its own line. No service upgrade prices over the phone.
- Permit from the City of Tampa or Hillsborough County.
- TECO coordination for the disconnect and reconnect.
- Installation day. Power is typically off for part of the day. We’ll tell you the plan ahead of time.
- Inspection and reconnect. We meet the inspector, TECO restores power, and you get a labeled circuit directory.
Warranty, financing and scheduling
- 3-year workmanship warranty, extended to 5 years for Member Care Plan members.
- Financing available through Acorn Finance, subject to credit approval. Check your options without affecting your credit score. Ask us and we’ll include the financing link with your itemized quote.
- Hours: office 7 AM–5 PM, weekend service, and 24/7 emergency calls.
Why Tampa calls Keywest Lights & Electric
- Licensed electrical contractor, EC#13014717, in business since 2010
- Seminole shop, Tampa TECO work — about 21 miles across the bay, scheduled honestly
- Residential and commercial, bondable to $1M, with projects up to $2M
- Woman-owned, family-run business and Home Depot preferred contractor
- Solar and battery systems are installed by our licensed partner installers; we handle the electrical work and manage the project
Tampa service upgrade FAQ
How much does a service upgrade cost in Tampa? It depends on your current service, whether it’s overhead or underground, the meter can and panel, grounding, City vs. County permitting, and TECO requirements. We give you an itemized quote after a site visit.
Do I need 200 amps? Many Tampa homes with central AC, a renovation kitchen and an EV do. Some don’t. We run a load calculation and show you the numbers before recommending anything.
How is a TECO service upgrade different from Duke Energy? The sequence is similar — load calc, permit, utility disconnect/reconnect, inspection — but TECO has its own service standards and scheduling. We coordinate that for you.
Can I add an EV charger without a service upgrade? Often, yes. A load-managed charger or a SPAN panel with SPAN PowerUp can keep the home within its service rating. PowerUp requires qualification and enrollment, and results are site-specific.
How long will my power be off? Typically part of one day. TECO has to disconnect and reconnect, and we coordinate the timing with them and tell you the plan ahead of time.
Who issues the permit for a service upgrade in Tampa? The City of Tampa Construction Services Division inside city limits, or Hillsborough County Development Services for unincorporated addresses. We pull it either way.
Tampa homeowners and business owners: call (727) 476-7079 or request an assessment.
^ Requires qualification and enrollment in SPAN PowerUp to avoid a utility service upgrade. Results are site-specific. SPAN® and SPAN PowerUp™ are trademarks of Span.IO, Inc. Keywest Lights & Electric is an independent SPAN Authorized Installer.
Related: Electrical Service Upgrades · Electrician in Tampa, FL · Panel upgrades in Tampa · EV chargers in Tampa · SPAN in South Tampa · Service upgrades in Brandon · Service upgrades in St. Petersburg · Service upgrades in Riverview · Service upgrades in Town ’n’ Country · Service upgrades in Wesley Chapel · Service upgrades in Bradenton · Service upgrades in Sarasota · Service upgrades in Carrollwood · Service upgrades in Westchase