Jacksonville resident Jason Goodrich launched a petition for lower JEA rates after receiving a roughly $500 bill, which he said reflected normal use. It had more than 3,500 signatures by Sept. 21; JEA's new electric, water and sewer rates are due Oct. 1.
JEA cited rising operating costs, aging infrastructure, Northeast Florida's growth, environmental requirements and financial obligations tied to Plant Vogtle for the changes. It said lower projected fuel costs could offset some electric increases; a household using 1,000 kilowatt-hours monthly would likely pay about $8.70 less in October than in April at the same usage. Water and sewer increases are expected to vary by usage.
Other customers also reported high bills, including a woman on a fixed income who received a $600 bill. JEA said it recognizes the pressure on household budgets and pointed to natural-gas prepayment deals projected to save about $12 million annually and a hedging program it says has saved more than $90 million since fiscal 2019.
