Rates increasing again? That’s what JEA CFO says is next for the company as customers struggle to pay bills

JEA customers are still trying to adjust to a rate increase that took effect Oct. 1, and now News4JAX has learned another one is on the way.JEA’s Chief Financial Officer Ted Phillips confirmed a rate hike is planned for fiscal year 2027-28, driven in part by the cost of building a new combined cycle power plant — a project priced at roughly $1.5 billion — that will replace a nearly 50-year-old JEA facility. Phillips said rising fuel costs are also a factor, noting the utility’s fleet drives nearly 11 million miles per year, much of it in diesel trucks.RELATED | JEA customers to see higher water, sewer bills as rate increases take effect“So for us to keep our systems reliable, we are having increased costs and we have to pass those costs back to our customers,” Phillips said.Rates already up for the second time in 18 monthsThe Oct. 1 increase — the second in a year and a half — raised electricity rates by more than 6% and water and sewer rates by 8%. For many customers, the back-to-back