JEA Honored with Statewide Award for Mutual Aid Assistance

2024-01-31

JACKSONVILLE, FL (Jan. 31, 2024) – The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) has recognized JEA for its response and mutual aid assistance after extreme weather in 2023. FMEA presented JEA with a Restoring Communities Award, which recognizes public power utilities for exemplary power restoration efforts to their own communities and for providing mutual aid when fellow public power communities were in need of extra assistance.

JEA is among 16 public power utilities receiving the award for their efforts to restore power quickly and safely when called on during 2023. This included providing mutual aid assistance following Hurricane Idalia in the Big Bend region and other emergencies.

Following Hurricane Idalia in September, JEA deployed 27 electric and 31 water/wastewater crew members to assist Waycross, Ga. with power restoration. Crews helped make critical repairs to the electric grid and the city’s wastewater systems.  

“It is an honor for JEA to receive this recognition, as lending and receiving a helping hand from our fellow utilities is how we build a strong public power community,” JEA Managing Director & CEO Jay Stowe said. “Knowing that assistance is always available throughout our public power network is reassuring and helps ensure that we are providing customers with reliable and resilient service, even in emergencies.”

Mutual aid agreements enable electric utilities to call on each other for skilled emergency workers and supplies. Public power utilities across the country benefit from the strong network of mutual assistance partners through the American Public Power Association. These connections have created a reliable system where member utilities request and offer assistance when there’s a need. FMEA serves as the mutual aid coordinator for Florida’s 33 public power utilities.

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