JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville resident who received a $500 JEA bill is urging customers to oppose the utility’s upcoming rate increase.
Jason Goodrich, who describes himself as a TikTok creator and community advocate, said he posted about his bill online about two months ago. Other customers responded with complaints about their own bills, including one person who said she received a $600 bill while living on a fixed income.
Goodrich then launched an online petition calling for JEA rates to be reduced. He said the petition had collected more than 3,500 signatures as of Monday’s interview.
“I feel like 90% of the people I talk to say a lot of the things they’re being charged for is fees,” Goodrich said. “They’re not using this much electricity, but it’s fees on top of fees on top of fees.”
Goodrich said his $500 bill reflected normal usage. He said he is rarely home because he works six days a week and believes seasonal rate increases have made utility costs difficult for Jacksonville residents to manage.
JEA’s new rates are scheduled to take effect Oct. 1. The utility said rate adjustments are needed to address rising operating costs, maintain aging infrastructure, accommodate Northeast Florida’s growth, meet environmental requirements and fulfill existing financial obligations, including those tied to Plant Vogtle.
“JEA is aware of the petition circulating regarding utility rates, and we understand the pressure that higher costs can place on our customers and their household budgets,” the utility said in a statement.
JEA also said it is working to control costs. The utility cited natural gas prepayment agreements expected to save about $12 million annually and a natural gas hedging program that has saved more than $90 million since fiscal 2019.
Although new rates take effect in October, JEA said lower projected fuel costs will offset part of the increase for electric customers. A residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month is projected to pay about $8.70 less for electricity in October than for the same usage in April, according to JEA.
Water and sewer customers will see increases based on usage, JEA said.
The utility offers assistance programs, free efficiency assessments, rebates and conservation tools to help customers manage their energy and water use. More information is available at jea.com/assistance and jea.com/rates.
Goodrich said he plans to speak at the JEA board meeting on Sept. 25 at 9 a.m. He encouraged residents to attend the meeting, even if they do not plan to speak.
“It’s easy to get ignored online,” Goodrich said. “These JEA meetings and these City Council meetings are open to the general public. All you have to do is show up and speak.”
He said he hopes Jacksonville residents will continue attending public meetings and voicing their concerns about utility costs.
Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.