Integrated resource plan for Jacksonville-based JEA a cornerstone in utility’s decarbonization quest

Black & Veatch, a global leader in decarbonization solutions, announces its completion of a comprehensive integrated resource plan for Jacksonville, Florida-based JEA, the community-owned electric utility looking to cut its carbon emissions by 80 percent over 2005 levels by the end of this decade.

The “JEA 2023 Electric Generation Integrated Resource Plan” (IRP) was developed to guide JEA’s efforts in providing essential power to its more than one million customers for decades to come, along the way balancing affordability, reliability and environmental sustainability. As part of the IRP – designed to create a framework and guideposts for future action and decisions – Black & Veatch presented various scenarios that allowed for diverse possible outcomes and a robust evaluation.

Given the growth of renewable energy, electric supply planning now needs to account for greater energy intermittency, more dispersed resource types and technologies, and increased storage and electric vehicle use. IRPs are built to do that, enabling utilities to compare future electric system demand with existing generating resources, evaluate new resource options, analyze solutions, incorporate stakeholder input, evaluate alternative portfolios and develop timely action plans.

Central to the development of JEA’s IRP, which combines economics, technology and engagement to chart a responsible path to 2030 and beyond, was the utility’s collaboration with community stakeholders. They included residential and commercial customers, community partners, environmentalists, neighborhood groups and municipal representatives.

The IRP will help propel JEA toward its decarbonization goals. JEA’s near-term objectives include generating 35 percent of its power supply from clean energy, retiring less-efficient generating assets and serving JEA facilities entirely with clean energy.

“I’m proud of the clean energy goals that JEA has established for our community. Planning for the best ways to meet the energy needs of Northeast Florida — reliably, affordably and sustainably — will be an ongoing process. I look forward to the continuing engagement with our customers,” said Jay Stowe, managing director and CEO of JEA, which serves an estimated 500,000 electric, 380,000 water, 300,000 wastewater and 22,000 reclaimed water customers.

JEA owns and operates an electric system that includes four generating plants, more than 745 circuit miles of transmission lines and more than 7,200 miles of distribution lines. JEA’s power-generating sites use a diverse fuel mix of petroleum coke, coal, biomass, natural gas, nuclear energy and solar energy.

“The IRP has JEA on a forward-looking path aligning with expectations that renewable energy will transform the energy landscape, driving sustainability and resilience,” said Deepa Poduval, a Black & Veatch senior vice president who heads the company’s global advisory business. “This critical assessment requires a balancing of what’s viable and what’s affordable, and triggers a timely, meaningful conversation now about achieving long-term goals using low-carbon resources.”

Editor’s Notes:

• To learn more about Black & Veatch’s strategy, planning and advisory services related to the energy transition, click here.

About Black & Veatch

Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2022 were US$4.3 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

About JEA

Located in Jacksonville in northeast Florida, 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-plus 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. For more about JEA, click here.

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