JEA Receives Statewide Recognition for Power Restoration Efforts
2025-01-23
JACKSONVILLE - The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) recently recognized JEA with a “Restoring Communities Award” for its efforts to quickly and safely restore power in 2024 in the aftermath of Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. FMEA annually recognizes public power utilities for their exemplary power restoration efforts in their own communities or for their mutual aid efforts outside of their home communities following hurricanes, other severe weather events and other emergencies.
These awards follow an active and destructive 2024 Hurricane Season for Florida, with Hurricane Debby, a Category 1 storm in August, and back-to-back major hurricanes Helene and Milton causing widespread power outages within weeks of one another. In addition to restoring service in Northeast Florida, FMEA also recognized JEA for providing mutual aid assistance to public power utilities in Georgia, Tallahassee and Lakeland, Fla.
“We are honored to receive this recognition after a hard-hitting storm season. JEA’s electric, water and vegetation management crews work through challenging conditions to restore services for our community – and our neighbors in need - during severe weather,” JEA CEO and Managing Director Vickie Cavey said. “Knowing that our public power network is ready to support us as well is reassuring for JEA and our customers.”
FMEA Executive Director Amy Zubaly noted that 2024 was a particularly rough storm season for Florida with powerful hurricanes that brought destructive winds, heavy rain, storm surge, flooding and even a deadly tornado outbreak. “Millions of people and communities across the state were impacted, some without enough time to recover from the previous storm before the next one hit. Thanks to the yearlong work they do to prepare and make their systems more resilient, like hardening their electrical systems and upgrading equipment, Florida’s public power utilities, along with the help of mutual aid crews from all over the country, were able to quickly get the power flowing again.”
JEA was among 28 Florida public power utilities receiving the Restoring Communities award.
Florida’s 33 public power utilities serve more than 3 million Floridians, 14 percent of Florida’s customers. Here in Northeast Florida, JEA serves more than a million customers and employs more than 2,200 team members. For 130 years, JEA has made it possible for Northeast Florida residents to own and control its energy future while receiving affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible power.
About JEA
JEA is a municipal utility providing safe, reliable and affordable services to more than one million residents across four Northeast Florida counties. JEA is not owned by investors and does not earn a profit. 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 2,200-plus workforce is dedicated to meeting customer needs, both today and for generations to come, while protecting our precious natural resources and supporting our region’s growth and economic development. Learn more at jea.com.
Media Contact
Karen McAllister
media@jea.com | 904-665-5500
Category:
- customer
- electric
- storm
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