FMPA recognizes winners with opportunity to compete in upcoming national competition

ORLANDO, Fla., March 12, 2018 – Electric utility lineworkers from Tallahasee and Jacksonville earned a trip to attend a national lineworkers’ competition courtesy of the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA).

FMPA sponsors the top prize in the annual Florida Lineman Competition, which honors Florida’s public power lineworkers and the outstanding service they provide to their communities.

“Lineworkers are the backbone of local electric utilities,” said FMPA General Manager and CEO Jacob Williams. “They work tirelessly to ensure that the lights stay on in our communities, and we are honored to support and recognize the men and women who make it happen.”

The competition was held in Kissimmee, Fla., on March 9 and March 10. During the event, lineworkers demonstrated skill, efficiency and safety by performing a variety of typical line work tasks, including replacing cross arm beams, relocating transformers, and a simulation of rescuing an injured lineman.

Judges selected Justin Johnson of the City of Tallahassee as the top-rated apprentice. The winning journeyman team from JEA included Robert Hess, Brian Gregg and Greg Johnson. Justin Johnson will receive $1,000 and the JEA team will receive $3,000 to help pay travel expenses to participate in a national competition.

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Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a wholesale power agency owned by 31 municipal electric utilities. FMPA provides competitively priced power and value-added services to support community-owned electric utilities. The members of FMPA serve approximately two million Floridians.

City of Tallahassee Lineworker Justin Johnson took home top honors as the top apprentice in the Florida Lineman Competition. Justin Johnson will receive $1,000 to help pay travel expenses to participate in a national competition later this year.

JEA’s Robert Hess, Brian Gregg and Greg Johnson was that top scoring journeyman team in the Florida Lineman Competition. The team will receive $3,000 to help pay travel expenses to participate in a national competition later this year.