How JEA is Preparing for Extreme Cold, How Customers Can Prepare

2026-01-29

JACKSONVILLE, FL (Jan. 29, 2026) – JEA is closely monitoring the weather as forecasts call for a severe cold front with temperatures dropping to subfreezing levels Saturday through Monday.  JEA crews are prepared to respond to any outage or system issue that may occur.

JEA facilities are prepared, fuel supplies are being carefully managed, and all available generation resources are ready to operate during this extreme weather. JEA is working with industry partners as all utilities throughout Florida prepare for the freeze.  
 
Following the tips below can help customers manage their usage and protect their home’s infrastructure when temperatures drop. 

Protecting Your Pipes

• Drip outside faucets in a steady stream to prevent pipes from freezing. 
• Let water drip slowly from inside faucets, both hot and cold.
• Wrap any exposed pipes and backflow preventers located outside or in unheated areas.
• If a washing machine is in an unheated room such as a garage, disconnect both the hot and cold water lines. Place both in the drain pipe behind the washing machine. Drip both faucets at a steady stream. 
• Know the locations of water shutoff valves and sewer clean-outs. 
• See video on protecting pipes in a freeze 
  
  

Energy Conservation

Heating accounts for up to 50% of a typical home's energy consumption. During these extreme conditions, JEA recommends:

• Set your thermostat to 68°F or lower and only adjust 1-2 degrees at a time to avoid activating heat strips, which are costly to run. Set your thermostat even lower at night and when you’re away.
• Consider using space heaters in occupied spaces while turning down the thermostat to avoid the costs of heating your entire home. Keep safety in mind: Never leave a space heater unattended, on while sleeping or close to flammable items. Make sure the space heater has “tip over protection.”  
• Seal drafts around windows and doors to keep cold air out. 
• Open blinds and curtains during daylight hours.
• Consider bundling up in sweatshirts, sweaters and/or blankets to stay warm. 
• Find more cold weather tips at jea.com/winter.
  
  

Payment options to help with higher bills:

• JEA MyBudget, a levelized payment program that takes a rolling average of your last 12 bills so that your monthly payment will be about the same every month. Learn more
• Payment Extensions and Arrangements: These tools give customers more time to pay their balance due. Payment extensions push out a customer’s due date, while payment arrangements allow customers to pay their balance due over monthly installments. Learn more
• Access to Community Resources:  We can point the way to third-party groups that offer utility bill assistance. Learn more

# # #

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
• payment options
• water
• ways to save