Most of Bay County gets power from FPL, the former Gulf Power: report outages at 1-800-468-8243. Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative: 800-333-9392.
Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. Sources: FPL and FPL Northwest Florida contact pages, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative’s Outage Center, and the Florida Public Service Commission’s storm outage reports.
The City of Panama City sells water, sewer and garbage service, but not electricity. Power in Bay County comes from investor-owned and cooperative utilities, and which one serves you depends on your address. Your electric bill names your utility.
Who to call
- Downed power line or fire: 911, then your utility
- FPL outages (anytime): 1-800-468-8243, or report online
- FPL Northwest Florida customer service: 1-888-326-4853, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays
- Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative: Panama City office, 6243 E. Highway 98, 850-481-1188; after-hours outages, 800-333-9392
- Outage maps: FPL outage status, Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative outage map
Hurricane Isaias: the city warned of possible utility outages and wastewater lift station failures as the storm passes on Oct. 9 and 10. Report your outage to your utility, not the city; for water or sewer problems after the storm, call the city at 850-872-3112. Use generators outdoors only.
Which utility serves you
Florida Power & Light (FPL) serves most of Bay County. Gulf Power is now part of FPL; gulfpower.com forwards to FPL’s Northwest Florida site. FPL runs its Northwest Florida customers through a separate regional site and phone line.
Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative is a member-owned co-op with a Panama City office at 6243 E. Highway 98 and a Southport office at 9434 Highway 77. Duke Energy also lists a small number of Bay County accounts.
The Florida Public Service Commission’s storm outage reports list each utility’s accounts by county. In its report on Tropical Storm Fred on Aug. 16, 2021, the most recent we found with a full Bay County breakdown:
| Utility | Bay County accounts (Aug. 2021) |
|---|---|
| Gulf Power (now FPL) | 101,449 |
| Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative | 14,655 |
| Duke Energy | 1,600 |
During named storms the commission posts updated county-by-county outage tables on its website.
Reporting an outage
FPL: call 1-800-468-8243 at any hour, report it on FPL’s outage page, or use the FPL mobile app. Text App to MyFPL (69375) to get the app.
Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative: call the Panama City office at 850-481-1188 during business hours or 800-333-9392 after hours, or use report an outage on the co-op’s site. Its outage map shows current outages.
After the power goes out
From Bay County’s Disaster Preparedness Guide:
- Avoid power lines, and do not walk or drive through standing water, which can hide downed lines and debris.
- Use a generator outdoors only, and only for essential items.
- Do not connect a generator directly to your home’s electrical system unless it has an approved automatic transfer switch.
- If someone at home relies on powered medical equipment, register with the Florida Special Needs Registry before storm season.
Traffic signals and city services
A dark traffic signal is a county matter: call Bay County Traffic Engineering at 850-248-8740, or 850-784-4000 after hours. City water and sewer problems go to Public Works at 850-691-4553, or 850-872-3112 after hours.
Before you dig
Florida law requires a call to 811 at least two working days before you dig, so the utilities can mark their buried lines, the city says.
Related: hurricane prep for Bay County, who to call at City Hall and moving to Panama City.
Frequently asked questions
Who provides electricity in Panama City, Florida?
Most of Bay County is served by Florida Power & Light, which took over Gulf Power; gulfpower.com now forwards to FPL’s Northwest Florida site. Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative and Duke Energy serve smaller parts of the county. Your bill shows your utility.
How do I report a power outage in Panama City?
FPL customers can report an outage anytime at 1-800-468-8243 or through the FPL app or website. Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative members call 850-481-1188 during office hours or 800-333-9392 after hours.
Where is the FPL outage map?
FPL’s outage reporting and status page is at fpl.com, and the FPL mobile app shows outage updates; text App to MyFPL (69375) to get it. Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative’s map is at outagemap.gcec.com.
What should I do if a power line is down?
Stay away from it and call 911 and your utility. Bay County’s preparedness guide also warns not to walk or drive through standing water, which can hide downed lines.
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