JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — First Coast News sat down with JEA CEO Jay Stowe as he marks one year since his November 2020 hiring.
He is adamant the JEA is not for sale and he explained he doesn't plan to run JEA with closed doors.
"We are going to do everything as transparent and as open as we can and be clear about what we are doing and why we are doing it," he told the On Your Side team.
Part of that transparency includes communicating issues that affect customer service.
Earlier this week, Stowe sent a notice to customers about a change in how fuel costs would be charged, moving from yearly to monthly with rates fluctuating depending on market conditions.
"There will be fluctuations in the bill but it should ultimately level out to be very small changes on a monthly basis. Sometimes up, sometimes down," he explained.
Paying the bills may be harder for families in the pandemic and Stowe reminds you there is help available - you just have to ask.
Ocer the next five years, JEA plans to invest $1.5 billion dollars in water and sewer projects and nearly $1 billion in electric projects. JEA will also expand its water purification plans with a testing facility on the southside.
Stowe plans to stay busy meeting the needs of his customers while also making sure his 2,000 employees feel valued.
"That's what we do every day is help people," Stowe said.
To read more on Stowe's background, click here.