Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Income Taxes	Sep. 30, 2016
Income Taxes	4. Income Taxes The effective tax rates for the three months ended Sept. 30, 2016 and 2015 were 19.86% and 39.12%, respectively. The effective tax rate decreased to 34.19% for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2016 from 39.10% for the same period in 2015. The decrease in the three-month effective tax rate of 19.26% in 2016 versus the same period in 2015 is primarily due to tax benefits recorded in the third quarter of 2016 for federal R&D credits, lower non-deductible Merger transaction costs and other permanent book-to-tax differences. The effective tax rate for year-to-date 2016 differed from the U.S. statutory rate of 35% primarily due to the effects of federal R&D credits and the tax benefit related to long-term incentive compensation offset by non-deductible Merger transaction costs (see Notes 2 and 14 for further description). The effective tax rate for year-to-date 2015 differed from the U.S. statutory rate primarily due to tax expense related to long-term incentive compensation shares that vested below target levels. Effective July 1, 2016 and due to the Merger with Emera, TECO Energy and its subsidiaries are included in a consolidated U.S federal income tax return with EUSHI and its subsidiaries. TECO Energy’s income tax expense is based upon a separate return method, modified for the benefits-for-loss allocation in accordance with EUSHI’s tax sharing agreement. To the extent that TECO Energy’s cash tax positions are settled differently than the amount reported as realized under the tax sharing agreement, the difference is accounted for as either a capital contribution or a distribution. The IRS concluded its examination of TECO Energy’s 2014 consolidated federal income tax return in December 2015. The U.S. federal statute of limitations remains open for the year 2013 and forward. Years 2015 and the short tax year ending June 30, 2016 are currently under examination by the IRS under its Compliance Assurance Program (CAP). Due to the Merger with Emera, the company is only eligible to participate in the CAP through its short tax year ending June 30, 2016. U.S. state jurisdictions have statutes of limitations generally ranging from three to four years from the filing of an income tax return. Additionally, any state net operating losses that were generated in prior years and are still being utilized are subject to examination by state jurisdictions. The state impact of any federal changes remains subject to examination by various states for a period of up to one year after formal notification to the states. Years still open to examination by taxing authorities in major state jurisdictions and foreign jurisdictions include 2005 and forward. Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes Authoritative guidance related to accounting for uncertainty in income taxes requires an enterprise to recognize in its financial statements the best estimate of the impact of a tax position by determining if the weight of the available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not, based solely on the technical merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals and litigation processes. As of Sept. 30, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2015, TECO Energy’s uncertain tax positions were $7.7 million and zero, respectively, all of which was recorded as a reduction of deferred income tax assets for net operating losses and tax credit carryforwards. The increase was primarily due to an uncertain tax position related to federal R&D tax credits. TECO Energy believes that the total unrecognized tax benefits will decrease within the next twelve months due to the expected audit examination of TECO Energy’s federal income tax return for the short tax year ending June 30, 2016. As of Sept. 30, 2016, if recognized, $7.7 million of the unrecognized tax benefits would reduce TECO Energy’s effective tax rate.
Tampa Electric Company [Member]
Income Taxes	4. Income Taxes Effective July 1, 2016 and due to the Merger with Emera, TEC is included in a consolidated U.S. federal income tax return with EUSHI and its subsidiaries. TEC’s income tax expense is based upon a separate return method, modified for the benefits-for-loss allocation in accordance with EUSHI’s tax sharing agreement. To the extent that TEC’s cash tax positions are settled differently than the amount reported as realized under the tax sharing agreement, the difference is accounted for as either a capital contribution or a distribution. Taxes accrued to affiliates was $14.2 million as of Sept. 30 2016. TEC’s effective tax rates for the three months ended Sept. 30, 2016 and 2015 were 32.53% and 37.73%, respectively. The effective tax rates for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2016 and 2015 were 34.59% and 37.15%, respectively. The decrease in the three-month effective tax rate of 5.2% in 2016 versus the same period in 2015 is primarily due to a tax benefit recorded in the third quarter of 2016 for federal R&D credits. TEC’s effective tax rates for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2016 and 2015 differ from the statutory rate principally due to the tax benefit related to AFUDC-equity and federal R&D credits. The IRS concluded its examination of TECO Energy’s 2014 consolidated federal income tax return in December 2015. The U.S. federal statute of limitations remains open for the year 2013 and forward. Years 2015 and the short tax year ending June 30, 2016 are currently under examination by the IRS under its Compliance Assurance Program (CAP). Due to the Merger with Emera, TECO Energy is only able to participate in the CAP through its short tax year ending June 30, 2016. Florida’s statute of limitations is three years from the filing of an income tax return. The state impact of any federal changes remains subject to examination by various states for a period of up to one year after formal notification to the states. Years still open to examination by Florida’s tax authorities include 2005 and forward as a result of TECO Energy’s consolidated Florida net operating loss still being utilized. Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes Authoritative guidance related to accounting for uncertainty in income taxes require an enterprise to recognize in its financial statements the best estimate of the impact of a tax position by determining if the weight of the available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not, based solely on the technical merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals and litigation processes. As of Sept. 30, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2015, TEC’s uncertain tax positions were $6.5 million and zero, respectively, all of which was recorded as a reduction of deferred income tax assets for tax credit carryforwards. The increase was due to an uncertain tax position related to federal R&D tax credits. TEC believes that the total unrecognized tax benefits will decrease within the next twelve months due to the expected audit examination of TECO Energy’s consolidated federal income tax return for the short tax year ending June 30, 2016. As of Sept. 30, 2016, if recognized, $6.5 million of the unrecognized tax benefits would reduce TEC’s effective tax rate.