Essential Energy working to keep everyone safe

Essential Energy working to strict Covid-19 protocols to ensure network reliability

As stay-at-home orders impact the entire NSW footprint of the electricity distributor, Essential Energy is confirming that as an essential service, all employees are authorised workers and are abiding by comprehensive COVID-19 protocols to ensure community safety. 

“To proactively manage our organisational response, we will continue to follow the advice of federal and state government authorities. We are doing our utmost to ensure safe and reliable power supply to our customers in communities across NSW, especially when so many people are at home,” said Amalie Smith, Acting General Manager, Customer and Network Services.

“We employ a risk-based assessment on all work and specific COVID-19 operational protocols have been established to ensure community safety,” Amalie said.  

“We want the community to know that where a stay-at-home order is in force, planned outages are reviewed individually to assess the risks for the community, employees, and contractors and electricity reliability.  People can view our planned outages page by visiting essentialenergy.com.au/outages. We also send our customers a notification at least four days before a planned outage,” said Amalie.

 “To maintain safe and reliable power supply, we need to continue key maintenance and building activities, including inspecting the network, underground pits and aboveground pillars, vegetation and streetlighting work. Essential Energy is a business enabler and if we do not risk assess and proceed with this work, then there is an increased risk to the number and duration of unplanned outages. It is critical that risks to supply are minimised, particularly to facilities involved in the response to COVID-19,” Amalie said.

Amalie also asked people to consider Essential Energy’s employees.

“Please remember our employees are also living in impacted areas and as essential workers, they’re all working to provide safe and reliable electricity, while responding to many of the additional pressures affecting the wider community. Our employees have been following strict COVID-19 protocols since the pandemic began, with continual review and adjustment as the situation evolves to minimise the risk of impacting our communities and our employees.”