Police prevent utilities staff from travelling to work

Power station workers have been turned back from going to work by the police because they were unable to prove that they were critical staff, Utility Week has learnt.

Utility Week understands that staff working at generation plants in London and Wales have been turned back and ordered by the police to go home, while driving to work, because they were unable to prove to officers’ satisfaction that they have essential roles that they must travel into work to perform.

Energy UK has been lobbying No 10 Downing Street and the department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS) to come forward with a certification system or another means for power workers to prove that they are in critical roles.

The problem is seen as a ‘”teething” one currently but the concern for energy companies is that it could become more serious as more workers are forced to self-isolate.

An Energy UK spokesperson said: “These are extraordinary circumstances and the industry is working closely with the government on a daily basis to ensure there is no disruption to the generation and supply of energy to customers and industry. In line with the government advice, it remains up to individual companies to define who their key workers are and provide them with self-certification.

“At the same time we should all recognise that the energy sector continues to provide an essential service to the society. Critical energy workers need to be able to travel to their place of work without being delayed, stopped or challenged en route unnecessarily. We continue to lead work on behalf of the sector with the UK and devolved governments to make sure the critical role of the energy workers is widely recognised.”

Justin Bowden, national secretary for energy at the GMB union, said a system must be developed by employers and police to allow those identified as essential workers to get to work, whether that was a certificate or acceptance of workplace passes.

He said: “It’s the government’s job to identify who is essential and who is non-essential to ensure that those people have free movement, in this case to keep the lights on and make sure the water is flowing.”

Just over a week ago, the government announced that utility workers had been classed as key workers and hence eligible to drop their children at school during the day.

The Department for Education said those employed in the civil nuclear, oil, gas, electricity and water sectors, including sewerage plants, would qualify as key workers.