Variable Interest Entities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Variable Interest Entities

18. Variable Interest Entities

The determination of a VIE’s primary beneficiary is the enterprise that has both 1) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and 2) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

TEC has entered into multiple PPAs with wholesale energy providers in Florida to ensure the ability to meet customer energy demand and to provide lower cost options in the meeting of this demand. These agreements range in size from 117 MW to 370 MW of available capacity, are with similar entities and contain similar provisions. Because some of these provisions provide for the transfer or sharing of a number of risks inherent in the generation of energy, these agreements meet the definition of being VIEs. These risks include: operating and maintenance, regulatory, credit, commodity/fuel and energy market risk. TEC has reviewed these risks and has determined that the owners of these entities have retained the majority of these risks over the expected life of the underlying generating assets, have the power to direct the most significant activities, the obligation or right to absorb losses or benefits and hence remain the primary beneficiaries. As a result, TEC is not required to consolidate any of these entities. TEC purchased $75.8 million, $81.2 million and $108.8 million, under these PPAs for the three years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

In one instance, TEC’s agreement with an entity for 370 MW of capacity was entered into prior to Dec. 31, 2003, the effective date of these standards. Under these standards, TEC is required to make an exhaustive effort to obtain sufficient information to determine if this entity is a VIE and which holder of the variable interests is the primary beneficiary. The owners of this entity are not willing to provide the information necessary to make these determinations, have no obligation to do so and the information is not available publicly. As a result, TEC is unable to determine if this entity is a VIE and, if so, which variable interest holder, if any, is the primary beneficiary. TEC has no obligation to this entity beyond the purchase of capacity; therefore, the maximum exposure for TEC is the obligation to pay for such capacity under terms of the PPA at rates that could be unfavorable to the wholesale market. TEC purchased $46.6 million, $34.4 million and $52.8 million, for the three years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

The company does not provide any material financial or other support to any of the VIEs it is involved with, nor is the company under any obligation to absorb losses associated with these VIEs. In the normal course of business, the company’s involvement with these VIEs does not affect its Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets, Statements of Income or Cash Flows.

TAMPA ELECTRIC CO [Member]

Variable Interest Entities

16. Variable Interest Entities

The determination of a VIE’s primary beneficiary is the enterprise that has both 1) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and 2) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

TEC has entered into multiple PPAs with wholesale energy providers in Florida to ensure the ability to meet customer energy demand and to provide lower cost options in the meeting of this demand. These agreements range in size from 117 MW to 370 MW of available capacity, are with similar entities and contain similar provisions. Because some of these provisions provide for the transfer or sharing of a number of risks inherent in the generation of energy, these agreements meet the definition of being VIEs. These risks include: operating and maintenance, regulatory, credit, commodity/fuel and energy market risk. TEC has reviewed these risks and has determined that the owners of these entities have retained the majority of these risks over the expected life of the underlying generating assets, have the power to direct the most significant activities, the obligation or right to absorb losses or benefits and hence remain the primary beneficiaries. As a result, TEC is not required to consolidate any of these entities. TEC purchased $75.8 million, $81.2 million and $108.8 million, under these PPAs for the three years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

In one instance, TEC’s agreement with an entity for 370 MW of capacity was entered into prior to Dec. 31, 2003, the effective date of these standards. Under these standards, TEC is required to make an exhaustive effort to obtain sufficient information to determine if this entity is a VIE and which holder of the variable interests is the primary beneficiary. The owners of this entity are not willing to provide the information necessary to make these determinations, have no obligation to do so and the information is not available publicly. As a result, TEC is unable to determine if this entity is a VIE and, if so, which variable interest holder, if any, is the primary beneficiary. TEC has no obligation to this entity beyond the purchase of capacity; therefore, the maximum exposure for TEC is the obligation to pay for such capacity under terms of the PPA at rates that could be unfavorable to the wholesale market. TEC purchased $46.6 million, $34.4 million and $52.8 million, for the three years ended Dec. 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

TEC does not provide any material financial or other support to any of the VIEs it is involved with, nor is TEC under any obligation to absorb losses associated with these VIEs. In the normal course of business, TEC’s involvement with these VIEs does not affect its Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets, Statements of Income or Cash Flows.