Media Releases & News

Aurora Energy Preparedness for Covid-19 Level 4 (1)

24 March 2020
New Zealand is at COVID-19 Alert Level 3. From 11:59pm on Wednesday 25 March, New Zealand moves to Alert Level 4 for four weeks.

Aurora Energy Chief Executive Richard Fletcher said: “As a lifeline utility, Aurora Energy is well-prepared to manage the impact of the pandemic response on our organisation and ensure security of electricity supply for our customers.

“We enacted our pandemic response plan in January that is designed to protect the wellbeing of our people and ensure that essential services are protected. These steps include:

  • Implementing working from home for all but essential personnel
  • Ensuring key personnel are separated from one another
  • Activating response plans with our contractors with crews in the field
  • Restricting travel and in-person meetings

“As a lifeline utility, Aurora Energy will continue to respond to emergency faults and carry out essential safety work on the network during the COVID-19 response, including at Alert Level 4.

“When we or our contractor crews are in the community, we ask that members of the public continue to enforce physical separation distancing and continue to act safely around our electricity equipment.

“As usual, to report a safety concern such as fallen power lines or damaged electrical equipment, please contact Aurora Energy immediately on 0800 22 00 05.

“While New Zealand remains at COVID-19 Alert Level 4, Aurora Energy will be deferring all non-essential work on the network, including planned work and customer work. During this period, there will be no planned power outages, unless for essential safety work.

“No visitors are allowed into our offices in Dunedin and Cromwell except on essential business and by prior arrangement. Please call us first on freephone 0800 22 00 05 to discuss your query.

“Our response has been made to protect both our team and members of the public and ensure we can keep the lights on. We continue to monitor the situation and will update as it changes.

“We’ll get through this together. Remember to look yourself and others, be patient, be kind and please contact us if you need more information about our response.”

ENDS