JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — JEA has released documents tied to a major natural gas plant project that will eventually impact utility costs for its 500,000 customers in Northeast Florida – that reveal almost nothing.
Action News Jax Ben Becker obtained the 527-page contract to purchase a massive gas turbine from GE Vernova - that had 114 redactions and blocked out significant details like the total cost, payment schedule, and performance guarantees.
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These details would normally allow JEA’s ratepayers to understand the scale and risk of such a large financial commitment, similar to Plant Vogtle, which eventually was years behind schedule and billions over budget.
The JEA board approved a deal to purchase the turbine - which is a key part of the proposed plant at the former St. Johns River Power Park site that Action News Jax first reported in August.
The turbine is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars – making up a significant portion of the plants initial cost of $1.57 billion - which could potentially balloon to $6 billion over 30 years.
The natural gas plant has also raised environmental, health, and cost concerns from the Rocky Mountain Institute, Sierra Club, and AARP.
JEA Statement:
“Florida Statute (119.0713(4) provides for specific exemptions from public record requirements for certain data held by a municipally owned utility, related to bids and proprietary confidential business information in conjunction with due diligence review of an electric project or a project to improve the delivery, cost, or diversification of fuel or renewable energy resources.
“Per that statute, JEA requested that GE Vernova review JEA’s Unit Manufacturing Reservation contract for a GE Vernova gas turbine and equipment for any proprietary information. The contract is 527 pages and therefore took time for the vendor to review for proprietary information. Based on its review, GE Vernova made redactions. The redactions present in the document are solely based on GE Vernova’s review; JEA did not make any redactions to the document. We are seeking justifications for some redactions.”
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