JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The JEA Board of Directors unanimously approved a proposal Tuesday to increase electric, water and wastewater rates.
Customers of the city-owned utility will see an average bill increase of about 3.7%, starting next week on April 1.
On average, customers will notice an increase of $2-$10 on their monthly bill. It’s all based on consumption habits.
“The proposed adjustments will better align our revenue requirements with what it costs to serve customers and will continue to keep our rates among the lowest in Florida,” JEA said in a statement back in February.
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The rate adjustment, which will roll out in increments starting next week and then again in October, also includes tier pricing. JEA said that creates an opportunity for customers to save money by using less energy because they’ll be charged a lower rate if they use less than 1,000 electric kilowatt hours.
JEA says customers who see a bill increase for water and sewer charges will only pay an average of 56¢ more per month.
If you want to know exactly how much more you’ll pay monthly with the rate adjustments, go to JEA.com/billestimator. That will give you a better idea of what to expect on your next bill.
JEA says persistent inflation and ongoing capital improvement projects are behind the increase, which will roll out in increments, starting next week and then again in October.
The higher rates will also help JEA keep up with regulatory requirements, such as reducing carbon emissions and water pollution.
JEA has previously said the rate hikes are “predominantly attributed to obligations to Plant Vogtle,” a nuclear power plant in Georgia that provides clean energy to JEA customers.
JEA public information officer Myers Vazquez said that the rate adjustments are based on consumption, so some customers in single households won’t even see a price increase.
“It all depends on consumption and meter size. There are some customers who will have their rate classification change from multifamily to single, individual customers, and so those customers will see a slight decrease based on consumption,” Vasquez said.
Many customers are unhappy with the idea of paying more, but JEA said the increase is below inflation, and that the rates will remain among the lowest in Florida, even with the rate adjustments.
“We completely understand that it’s going to hit some people in the pocketbooks. So, we are offering tips on how to consume,” Vasquez said. “If your bill is only going to go up a few bucks, there’s some tips on how we can help you capture that cost back. There’s programs we have available for those who are going to be hit the hardest, who may have some monetary issues where they can’t afford the bill.”
Vasquez is referring to JEA’s free efficiency and irrigation assessments, free water conservation kits, and efficiency rebates. The utility company also offers payment solutions to help manage utility expenses and financial assistance programs for those who may be struggling to make ends meet.
For more information, visit www.jea.com/waytosave.
Electric rate changes
An electric bill is based on the number of kilowatt-hours (kwh) that are used each month.
Under the changes, the rate adjusted for a 1,000kwh bill will be approximately 3.6% higher. According to JEA, 59% of customer bills are at 1,000 kWh or less monthly.
In 2026, the rate will increase by 5.4%, equivalent to a $7 increase.
Waste & sewer rate changes
JEA has approved a 6% rate revenue adjustment for water and sewer for FY-2025 and a 4.2% rate revenue adjustment for FY-2026.
For a 3/4″ meter size, there will be an increase of $0.46 for sewer for FY-2025 and a $1.76 increase for FY-2026. According to JEA, 60% of residential sewer customers use this meter size.
Residential water rates will increase by $1.23 for a 3/4″ meter for FY-2025 and $0.56 for FY-2026.
Click here to read the full document with JEA’s electric, water and sewer rate changes.
The rate increases will be incremental, starting in April and adjusting again in October.
