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JEA Maintains Lower Rates than Most Utilities with Fuel Increase
Jacksonville, FL (June 19, 2004) - Citing a 30 percent rise in fuel costs over the last five years, JEA staff is recommending a 5.5 percent ($4) increase in the price per 1,000 kilowatt hours charged to residential and commercial customers.
Under the proposed fuel adjustment rate increase, which would take effect November 1, most JEA customers would pay from $2 to $5 more on their monthly bill. The average customer uses 1,200 kilowatts a month.
Even with the proposed increase, JEA's nearly 380,000 electric customers will still have the lowest residential electric rates in the state - including Miami, Orlando and Tallahassee, as well as larger cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, and New York.
JEA's electric rates have not been increased in 14 years.
"Despite the rising costs of all fuels we use to generate electricity, we've been able to maintain low rates by investing in leading power-plant technologies and adopting more efficient work methods," said JEA CEO Walt Bussells. "Also, our fuel diversity allows us to maintain the lowest rates for our customers. Fuel and purchased power make up nearly 40 percent of the utility's annual budget."
Bussells said that many customers can offset the additional cost by implementing some low- and no-cost conservation measures, and that JEA plans to increase its communication to customers about these cost-saving options.
"For example, setting the thermostat a degree and a half higher in the summer can reduce your electric use and offset the fuel rate increase," Bussells said.
After a briefing today, the JEA Board of Directors scheduled a rate hearing for Tuesday, August 17 to consider the fuel adjustment rate.
JEA Electric Conservation Tips
No cost or low cost opportunities to reduce electric consumption
- Increase your thermostat setting 1.5 degrees higher in summer, or 1.5 degrees in
winter, to reduce your electric consumption by 5 - 6 percent
- Lower temperature on your water heater to 115 degrees
- Turn off anything you're not using including all equipment and appliances,
televisions, VCRs, computers (including monitors) and lights
- Use ceiling fans and room fans only in occupied rooms
- Air conditioners: Clean or replace filters regularly
- A fluorescent bulb is four to six times more efficient than standard incandescent
bulbs. A 15 watt fluorescent bulb provides as much light as a 60 watt standard bulb. The difference in energy is heat
- Caulk around windows, doors, pipes, and anywhere else air can leak in and out.
Use weather stripping around windows, doors and pipes
- Use curtains, shades and blinds to block the sun's rays from directly entering the home
Other JEA Services include:
Energy audits to identify savings may be performed in a number of easy ways:
- Online at jea.com
- Using JEA's Home Energy and Water Check-up video that is free to customers
- Scheduling a JEA auditor to perform a free, personalized in-home audits
- Contacting the JEA Speakers Bureau, which provides presentations to community groups about how to conserve and save
For Commercial Clients:
- Commercial Energy Services provides performance contracting to assist customers to realize major energy savings from very large projects
- Engineered solutions for smaller energy conservation projects
- Lighting partnership to help customers reduce consumption through lighting
- Power quality services to reduce operating costs and downtime, and to improve productivity
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