JEA Receives Statewide Recognition for Mutual Aid Work

2023-01-10

JACKSONVILLE, FL (Jan. 10, 2023) – The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) has recognized JEA with a Restoring Communities Award for its work providing mutual aid to fellow municipal electric utilities during the past year.  The annual award honors Florida public power utilities for their efforts to restore power quickly and safely when called upon following severe weather or other significant emergencies.

In January 2022, JEA crews responded to communities in South Carolina and Virginia to help restore power following major snowstorms. JEA water /wastewater employees also provided mutual aid assistance last year: After Hurricane Ian devastated Southwest Florida, 100 JEA employees helped restore sewer infrastructure on Sanibel Island during a four-week period.

“We are proud to answer the call to serve our fellow public power utilities and are extremely grateful to those who came to our aid in the past year. Being part of this national network of support is one of the many benefits of being a community-owned utility,” JEA Managing Director & CEO Jay Stowe said.

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 network of mutual assistance partners through the American Public Power Association. FMEA serves as the mutual aid coordinator for Florida’s 33 public power utilities.

“Whether the need stems from a huge event – such as the volume of mutual aid coordinated for one of Florida’s most destructive hurricanes ever – to a smaller event that requires an extra truck or an extra set of hands, Florida public power utilities are always there for their fellow public power communities,” said FMEA Executive Director Amy Zubaly. “While our investments in grid hardening are paying off in big ways with fewer outages and faster restoration times, knowing there will be someone to lean on when needed is one of the best parts of this nationwide system of mutual aid support.”

About JEA
JEA is a not-for-profit, community-owned utility that provides safe, reliable and affordable services to more than one million customers across four Northeast Florida counties. JEA is not owned by investors. It was created by the City of Jacksonville to meet the electricity and water needs of those who live in Jacksonville and surrounding communities. JEA’s 2,000+ workforce is dedicated to ensuring the demands of its customers are met, both today and for generations to come, while protecting our precious natural resources and supporting our region’s growth and economic development

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• electric