JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – JEA customers in Jacksonville will soon see higher monthly bills. The utility’s Board of Directors approved proposed rate increases on Tuesday, affecting electric, water, and sewer services.
The overall electric rate is going up 6.2%, although the changes are different for residential, commercial and other services. For water and sewer, the overall change is 8%.
Recommended Videos
So what does that mean for the average residential user’s bill?
Based on data presented to the Board, the average residential customer will pay $2.41 more for electric and $5.75 more for water & sewer service each month, depending on usage. That’s a little more than $8 a month for your combined bill.
The changes take effect Oct. 1.
Back in March, JEA projected a budget shortfall of more than $107 million across its electric, water, and sewer systems. The rate increases are aimed at closing those financial gaps, the utility said.
During public comment before the Board’s vote, customers urged board members to find alternatives to raising rates.
“The true question we should be asking today is not whether we need to raise rates again, it’s how can we work to meet our city’s energy needs in the challenging moment we find ourselves in,” Jacksonville resident Leah Ferrel said. “The answer is that JEA needs to deepen solar investments by deploying solar on both the utility side and residential side.”
But JEA says the utility has reduced carbon emissions by 53% since 2007, with the closure of the St. Johns River Power Park coal-fired plant and the decommissioning of Plant Scherer in Juliette, Ga.
JEA plans to build a combined cycle natural gas plant at the former St. Johns River Power Park site, allowing the utility to strengthen system reliability and meet future energy demands while reducing carbon emissions.
JEA says the additional revenue generated by the rate increases will help cover rising costs of infrastructure and reliability as Jacksonville’s population continues to grow.
“As our region continues to grow, we are making infrastructure investments to maintain the reliable electric and water services our customers depend on every day. These rate adjustments will help us address rising operating costs and strengthen our systems to support Northeast Florida today and into the future,” JEA Managing Director and CEO Vickie Cavey said.
The utility also says it wants customers to know that they understand an increase like this can be difficult, and are offering bill assistance programs for those who may need help with their monthly expenses.
Learn more at JEA.com.