Keeping Us Connected: Crisis Management

Energy UK interim chief executive Audrey Gallacher writes for Utility Week about how the sector has risen to the challenges presented by coronavirus. She is backing our Keeping Us Connected campaign as giving recognition “for those whose services go unnoticed in happier times, but have been shown to be indispensable when our country has been put to the test”.

It’s been over a month since the UK’s lockdown came into full effect and while calling this the new normal would be stretching it, many of us have settled into some sort of adjusted routine – even if things are anything but routine.

Of course, as providers of an essential service, keeping the generation, transportation and supply of energy going without interruption in all circumstances is hard wired into the sector. Well-practised contingency plans, in place for when bad weather threatens to disrupt operations for example, have kicked in and provided a vital constant when much else has been upturned.

However, this is a challenge on a much greater scale in terms of duration and scope than we’ve ever seen, and continued uncertainty is a given when the only way to avoid using the description “unprecedented” is to reach for the thesaurus.  One sure thing is that it’s going to be a long haul before we get to the other side.

As the full impact of the outbreak hit home – even though we obviously weren’t facing the same issues as other sectors grinding to a virtual standstill – there were a number of immediate issues facing the industry. The extra support that would be needed for customers, with many more of them than usual facing financial and other difficulties resulting from the lockdown. Staffing issues, whether that be in call centres, control rooms or out in the field. Companies quickly had to prioritise their operations to manage extra demand with less resources, and also observe heath guidelines.

At Energy UK, we were immediately aware of the responsibility on our shoulders to speak for an industry facing all these challenges and to communicate these to government (including the devolved administrations) and regulators – and work together to find solutions.

I must say that we’ve been genuinely impressed with the engagement and responses we’ve had through our constant dialogue with minsters and senior officials on issues like ensuring the recognition of those in the industry as key and critical workers – culminating in this week’s announcement that they would be a priority group for testing, something we have called for and gratifyingly been heard.  I should also highlight the cooperation we’ve had from across the wider industry from other trade bodies and from the regulator Ofgem.

Suppliers have had to focus their operations on the most urgent cases – providing extra support like emergency credit and deferred payments to those most in need; they’ve relocated call centre operations to enable staff to work from home; and have cancelled non-essential home visits while continuing urgent work to keep customers on supply and safe. Power plants and control rooms have redeployed staff where necessary, used smaller teams and flexed shifts, brought in extra staff and contractors and controlled operations from more than one site.

Of course, it’s debatable whether we’re even at the end of the beginning. While urgent and pressing issues have rightly been at the forefront, others are emerging more gradually as the lockdown lengthens – issues with the supply chain, backlogs with maintenance and construction, non-urgent initiatives and work programmes put on the backburner, the status of contracts and regulatory obligations – and many more.

There are financial challenges facing suppliers with significant numbers of customers struggling to pay bills, particularly among the non-domestic sector. Although they are doing everything to offer support, there is unfortunately a finite limit to how much low margin businesses can do that. It’s a constantly evolving situation and we are looking closely at the very latest data to see how this is affecting suppliers. Clearly the effects will continue to be felt after lockdown is lifted.

Indeed how we get out of lockdown and then the longer term issue of economic recovery are issues we also have to face. Returning to business as [was] usual isn’t in all probability an option and we should be aiming to salvage a positive outcome from the crisis. We can use this enforced pause and subsequent restart to direct all our efforts towards Net Zero and the Climate Change challenge that still awaits us. There is a chance for the energy sector to be at the very centre of an economic recovery that also supports our low carbon ambitions.

For now, I hope the industry’s efforts and response are recognised as they deserve to be. As well as rapidly changing and refocussing their operations, we’ve also seen how individual companies have been supporting their communities, donating money to local charities, PPE to the NHS and redeploying staff to make deliveries on behalf of food banks and pharmacies. And hundreds of incidents of their staff going the extra mile

Despite this being the most difficult of times for many people, it’s not been without its heartening and positive aspects. The outpouring of love and respect for the NHS and our care workers is both fully deserved and some might say overdue. But we’ve also seen a wider respect and recognition for those workers who provide an essential daily service, often unheralded and taken for granted but whom the current circumstances have made us appreciate.

Energy workers of course form part of that group and while there are practical aspects to being categorised as a key or critical worker, it’s also great to see them getting some acclaim and gratitude simply because it’s deserved. So the Keeping Us Connected campaign is right on cue as recognition for those whose services go unnoticed in happier times, but have been shown to be indispensable when our country has been put to the test.