Winter Storm Enzo pushed temperatures down and electricity demand up in Jacksonville, where JEA recorded a nearly historical high mark for peak energy Jan. 22.
The city-owned utility reported that peak energy – the demand for electrical power – reached 3,020 megawatts as a mass of polar air swept into Northeast Florida. Temperatures dipped to as low as 30.9 degrees at Jacksonville International Airport, with a wind chill that drove the feels-like temperature far lower, as local residents awoke to light snow and ice in parts of the city.
JEA’s record peak energy of 3,250 megawatts came on Jan. 11, 2010. According to archived climate reports from the National Weather Service, the temperature dropped to 20 degrees that day following a two-day stretch with lows of 22.
A JEA spokeswoman said the utility’s crews responded to 45 outages related to Enzo and restored power to 9,254 customers. No water or wastewater issues were reported.
The Weather Channel forecasts a low of 29 degrees on Jan. 23 and Jan. 24 in Jacksonville, with highs of 43 on Jan. 23 and 50 on Jan. 24.