Membership FAQ

As a not-for-profit cooperative, Jackson EMC is owned by the members. Joining gives you the rights and benefits of being a member.

The application is a formal request to join the cooperative in order to receive electric service. You may get an application at any of our offices, by calling us, or online.

The required membership fee helps cover the cost of setting up your membership records. The fee will be added to your first month's bill.

Easement rights give us your permission to install, maintain and/or remove equipment in order to provide your electrical service.

Margins are funds left over after the cooperative’s annual expenses are accounted for. Each year, the Cooperative’s Board reviews and approves the refund of retired capital credits from the previous years based on sound financial judgment. When approved by the board, margin refund checks are sent to the members in December each year.

Apply online, call Customer Service at 1-800-462-3691 between 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, or stop by one of our local offices between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Apply for service as soon as you have your county or city approved building plans so that we can connect temporary service. Then construction can proceed.

Business members or their contractors can apply online, call customer service at 1-800-462-369, between 7 a.m.- 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, or visit one of our local district offices between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

For temporary service, the member or general contractor provides the pole. A Jackson EMC engineer will ensure the pole is placed appropriately. Jackson EMC provides and installs the meter for temporary service, but you or your contractor must purchase the meter base. Meter bases are available for purchase from a local Jackson EMC office.

We accept cash, credit cards, checks or money orders. Deposits can be paid electronically on the phone by calling 1-800-228-9166, on the MyJacksonEMC website or app, or in person at a local office.

Jackson EMC requires a security deposit for all new members.

For residential members, the security deposit is determined by a credit check through Equifax.

For commercial members, the deposit is based on two times the average consumption at the location. For a brand new location, the deposit is based on the square footage.

Our PrePay program doesn't require a deposit and may be an option for residential members who want more flexibility with their account.

Concerned about your credit rating? Please call Equifax at 1-800-624-1208 or visit equifax.com.

If you move to another location served by Jackson EMC, and have no outstanding balance, the deposit will be transferred to your new account. If you move to a location served by Jackson EMC, but return to Jackson EMC’s service area in the future, we will use Equifax to determine your security deposit.

There is no charge if the name on your account must be changed due to marriage, divorce or the death of a spouse.

You will be charged new membership and connection fees if a name change requires opening a new account under a new name and Social Security number. A new deposit may be required.

Residential Members:

If you maintain a good payment record, your deposit will be credited to your account after two years of service. If you do not maintain a good payment record or close your account in less than two years, your deposit will be applied to your final bill. If a refund is due, a refund check will be mailed to the forwarding address.

Commercial Members:

Commercial deposits will be returned after service is discontinued and will be applied to your final bill. If a refund is due, a check will be mailed to your forwarding address.

The connection fee covers costs for setting up your account and connecting your meter.

Bills are mailed monthly. The billing cycle determines your billing and due date.

We offer several ways to pay your bill. Online and automated phone payment options offer the most convenience.

• Online Payments: Make a payment at MyJacksonEMC.com or via the MyJacksonEMC mobile app.
• Phone Payments: Call 1-888-228-9166 to pay over the phone using our automated payment system, which is available 24/7
• Free Auto Pay Program: Pay your monthly bill through an automatic draft from your bank account or credit/debit card. Sign up for the Auto Pay Program at MyJacksonEMC.com or via the MyJacksonEMC mobile app.
• Payment Kiosks: Pay your monthly bill at one of our local offices with cash, check, or credit/debit card using a self-service payment kiosk that’s available 24/7.
• Mail: Mail your payment with the return envelope provided with your bill to Jackson EMC, P.O. Box 166023, Altamonte Springs, FL 32716-6023.
• In Person: Visit one of our local offices in Jefferson, Hull, Gainesville or Lawrenceville to pay your bill.

We accept Visa, Discover, Mastercard, debit cards with the Visa or Mastercard logo and E-checks are accepted using our automated payment telephone system and online. Payment amounts are limited to a minimum of $5 up to a maximum of $1,000 per single transaction. Payments made via the payment kiosks are limited to $1,000 per transaction when paying with debit/credit cards. Payments are posted immediately.

You will receive a notice reminding you about the past due balance and due date. If payment is not made by the date/time indicated in the letter, the electric service will become subject for disconnection. Accounts with a valid phone number on file will receive an additional courtesy call reminder. If your service has been disconnected, you must:

• Pay the past due balance in full along with the reconnection fee and additional security deposit, if one is required.
• Request reconnection by calling Jackson EMC between, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, or logging into your MyJacksonEMC account. You may also visit a local Jackson EMC local office in person between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday to pay your bill and request to have your service reconnected.

Arrangements for same-day reconnection of service can be made:

** from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays,

• after 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays, only in cases of emergency. If you are approved as an emergency reconnection, you may be subject to an additional reconnection fee.

Residential Members:

Check your previous bills for past electric use and the number of days in the month. Consider lifestyle changes (such as visitors at your home or the installation of additional appliances like a hot tub). If you think your bill is too high, contact your local Jackson EMC office for assistance in person or by phone.

Commercial Members:

Please contact one of our local offices or a business development manager for assistance.

The MyJacksonEMC website and mobile app allow you to view your energy use by the hour, day, week and month.

Our rates are posted under the rates section of our website. Information about our rates are updated each year.

Most businesses are on the General Service Rate, which provides a per-kilowatt-hour charge for monthly service based on the amount of energy used and peak electrical demand, along with a service charge and Wholesale Power Cost Adjustment.

Large businesses and manufacturers with a new facility and a connected load of more than 900 kilowatts have a one-time choice to select their power supplier. These customers may have individually negotiated rates. Large businesses may also qualify for special rates such as load management and large power service rates.

Energy (kilowatt hours / kWh) is the measurement of how much electricity is used and power (kilowatts / kW) is the measurement of how fast electricity is used. If you compare electricity to a car, power (kW) would be the car’s speed and energy (kWh) would be the miles traveled.

This is the term that electric companies use to measure power (kW). This is closely related to, but not the same as usage (kWh), which is used to measure energy.

This is the maximum amount of power measured over a specified timeframe. This timeframe is usually between 30-60 minutes. If you compare electricity to a car, Peak Demand would be comparable to the top speed clocked over a specified timeframe (i.e. 0-60 mph in 4 seconds).

This is a value used in most electric rates that represents the highest registered Peak Demand over a 1-year historical timeframe. Billing demand is a component of the rate which is available on our website.

We measure your highest 30-minute kW demand during the current month and the past 11 months. The Billing Demand for June-September will be whichever is greater of the following: the current actual demand, 90% of the highest actual demand occurring in any previous applicable summer month or 65% of the highest actual demand occurring in any previous applicable winter month (October-May). The Billing Demand for October-May will be whichever is greater of the following: 90% of the highest summer month (June- September) or 65% of the highest winter month (including the current month). In no case shall the Billing Demand be less than the greater of the contract minimum or 5 kW.

This is the calculated minimum amount that a power bill can never be lower than. Minimum Bills are common throughout the utility industry to recoup infrastructure costs. For Jackson EMC, the Minimum Bill = Peak Historical Demand* x $12.00. * Peak Historical Demand will vary depending on the month and rate.

We take your Highest Demand Measured (Peak Historical Demand) and multiply that by $12.00, so the bill will be whichever is greater of the following: $12.00 per kW of the highest demand measured during the summer billing months (June-September) or 65% of the highest demand measured during the winter billing months (October-May). In no case shall the minimum bill be less than the Service Charge, plus excess kVAR charges.

Reactive power is the unused power generated by reactive components in an Alternating Current (AC) circuit/system and is measured in KVAR (Kilovolt-Ampere Reactive). Members are billed for the highest 30-minute integrated kVA of lagging reactive demand established during the month, less one-third of the highest 30-minute kW demand during that month. In simpler terms, a member is billed for having a power factor that is less than 95% at the rate of $0.30/kVAR.

This is the relationship of the energy being supplied to a piece of equipment (real power) compared to the energy being effectively used by the piece of equipment (apparent power). The best way to explain something technical like power factor is through analogy – Picture a mug of root beer with foam. Imagine that the three elements together present a picture of power. The root beer itself represents active power (kW); this is what powers electrical equipment and performs useful work. The foam represents reactive power (kVAR); this is the power that transformers, motors and relays need to produce their magnetizing flux; however, it is not the active power used to perform the work. The mug capacity represents apparent power (kVA); power factor is the ratio between the active power (kW) and the apparent power (kVA) which is represented by this formula: PF = KW / KVA. For any given KVA, the more foam you have (the higher the percentage of KVAR), the lower your ratio of KW (beer) to KVA (drinkable beer + foam). Therefore, the lower your power factor. As your foam (or KVAR) decreases, the power factor increases. The electric company must provide a network that meets the Apparent Power demands.

To reduce lost energy on the transmission and distribution system. Businesses with poor power factors take up capacity (room) on the lines. To compensate for this loss of capacity, electric utilities must install capacitors and/or increase the size of their facilities.

In case of a power failure, you can view or report an outage at MyJacksonEMC.com or by using the mobile app. To report an outage by phone, call 1-800-245-4044.

Visit our vegetation maintenance page for details about how we manage trees and vegetation near our poles and equipment.

Call Jackson EMC at 1-800-462-3691. A supervisor will contact you about your concerns.