Media Statement: COVID-19
19 March 2020
Nothing is more important to Essential Energy than the safety of the community and our employees. As an organisation delivering critical services to communities and employing thousands of people across the State, it is vital for regional NSW that Essential Energy responds effectively to the COVID-19 crisis.
Essential Energy has enacted its Pandemic Management Plan and established a Pandemic Preparedness Team to proactively manage our organisational response. Our focus remains on the health and well-being of our employees, the community, our contractors and suppliers, and particularly on limiting the spread of the virus to vulnerable groups.
In addition to following Federal and State Government directives and advice of health authorities, Essential Energy has implemented a range of actions to minimise the spread of COVID-19 including stopping movement of employees between offices and depots; increasing the number of office-based employees who can work from home; increasing cleaning and disinfecting routines at all sites; and stopping non-essential visitors and face-to-face interactions with customers.
A risk management framework has also been developed to minimise the potential for any impact on our ability to deliver a safe, reliable supply of electricity to the communities we serve during the COVID-19 crisis.
This framework will allow us to identify how planned outage work, asset inspection and vegetation management activities may proceed with the inclusion of additional safety controls. We are implementing this framework in consultation with Accredited Service Providers such as electricians and other suppliers.
Our response is designed to allow the continued safe operation of the network and ensuring crews are available to respond to fault and emergency situations.
Essential Energy will implement any additional measures to slow the spread of transmission consistent with Government advice. Additional operational responses will be required as the impact on the workforce and communities expands.
Download a pdf version of this media release
Media contact: Melanie Pope, Media, PR and Brand Manager
M: 0418 160 031
