How about a deep dive into the H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station? This Tampa landmark stands as a testament to the city’s energy demands and technological advancements. The H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station is located on Port Sutton Road near Tampa Bay.
It’s a key player in powering our homes and businesses. Did you know this plant generates over 2100 megawatts of electricity? That is all fueled by natural gas.
Let’s step back in time. The H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station has a history dating back to November 1965. But its modern era truly began in May 2003. That’s when Bayside Unit One went into commercial service. Bayside Unit Two followed in January 2004.
Tampa Electric owns the H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station. It is a combined cycle gas turbine power plant. The H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station uses natural gas. It gets its fuel from the Florida Gas Transmission Gulf Stream.
The H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station has significantly reduced emissions. By using natural gas and state-of-the-art controls, Tampa Electric has made great strides. Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide emissions have been cut by about 99 percent. Particulate matter emissions are down more than 93 percent from 1998 levels.
Here is a cool fact. In 2009 four 60-megawatt natural gas-fired peaking units were installed. These units enhance power reliability. They provide power during peak demand. They also play a vital role during catastrophic weather events. These peaking units have black start capability. This means they can start the larger generating units during a blackout. They can go from off-line to full load in just 10 minutes. This quick start capability helps maintain operating reserves. This is needed to respond to system disruptions.
The H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station consists of multiple generators. There are 13 generators. The plant generated 1.7 TWh between July 2024 and October 2024. Annually the H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station generates 5.0 TWh.
The H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station is ranked among the top power plants. It is number 20 out of 279 in Florida for total annual net electricity generation. Nationally it is ranked 217 out of 11866 power plants.
Water for the H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station comes from Hillsborough Bay.
The H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station’s commitment to innovation ensures a brighter future for Tampa. Next time you flip a switch consider the journey. Consider the energy generated right here at the H.L. Culbreath Bayside Power Station.