Benefits of Public Utilities

As your not-for-profit, community-owned utility, JEA is committed to providing you the most reliable service at the lowest possible cost in an environmentally friendly way. We do what’s best for this community and this community alone because this is our home.

Why Publicly Owned Utilities Matter

1. As an essential service, electricity and water must be reliably produced and delivered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Public utilities — also known as municipal utilities — are well suited to deliver these essential services, because the only reason they exist is to provide the service to the communities that own them — not to make profits for shareholders.
2. Public power and water utilities are directly accountable to the people they serve through local elected or appointed officials. There are more than 2,000 community-owned electric utilities in the United States, serving more than 47 million people, or about 14 percent of the nation's electricity consumers. These utilities are operated by local governments to provide communities with reliable, responsive, not-for-profit electric, water and sewer service.
3. Public utilities make significant capital investments in infrastructure improvements. Public utilities serve their communities’ best interests by ensuring efficient, reliable operations and facilities to deliver their vital services 24/7. This includes a commitment to build and maintain resilient utility infrastructure that can serve the public good for years and decades, and even withstand hurricanes and other threats.  

JEA Delivers on the Public Utility Promise

• The American Public Power Association (APPA) has designated JEA as a Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) at the Diamond level. RP3 is a sign of a utility’s dedication to operating an efficient, safe and reliable distribution system. JEA is one of 274 U.S. public power utilities (out of more than 2,000) to carry the designation.
• JEA is one of the only companies around that wants our customers to use less of our product. We host a variety of rebate programs for residential and business customers to encourage them to upgrade and save through energy- and water-efficiency gains.
• Because JEA’s roots run deep in this community – more than a century and counting -- we are committed to giving back to the place we call home by offering STEM educational programs to area youth, participating in volunteer opportunities, and directly supporting those in need. Our team members donated more than $330,000 to local charities in 2021.
• We also recognize that many in our community experience financial challenges. That’s why JEA offers a variety of flexible payment options and financial assistance tools, along with connections to community organizations that offer utility bill assistance programs.
• JEA regularly participates in public power lineworker rodeos at the state and national levels. These friendly competitions allow our electric crews to demonstrate their skill and knowledge and earn recognition from their public power peers. They also help our crews learn from each other and train for real-world restoration scenarios, which benefit us all.