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Local lines company Counties Power is preparing all crews for working under COVID-19 level three conditions.

Counties Power crews prepare for COVID-19 Level Three

 The company’s 120 field crew will be working back in the community from 28 April while following all level three safety protocols.  During the lockdown period only essential safety and outage work has been completed by the company.

 Counties Power General Manager Operations Dale Carline thanks the community for their support of the company’s essential workers during  the lockdown period. 

 “Thank you Franklin for your messages to our crews and for maintaining your distance as our essential workers continued to keep your power flowing during lockdown. We now need to commence our works and maintenance programme so we can continue to provide safe and reliable power, particularly vital right now as we head into the winter storm season.  As one of the largest businesses and employers in the community and consumer-owned, we recognise we play an important role in helping Franklin to get up and running again.  It’s time to get back on the job for our community, our employees and to support our local contractors, businesses and economy.”

 As part of the works programme under level three, planned shutdowns will resume so work can be undertaken safely. 

 “We’ve assessed every piece of upcoming work with the intention to minimise disruption to our community in level three, though we acknowledge any power outages impact home-based learning and working, while also scheduling works that wherever possible will not affect small businesses in this crucial time so we can support them back into business.   Thanks for your understanding as we balance maintaining the network, infrastructure builds to support development and helping our local businesses get back on track,” Mr Carline says. 

 The company will be following all COVID-19 safety protocols and have implemented major changes to working practices, including crews working in small ‘bubbles’.   All of the company’s 200 employees who can work from home will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

 All shutdowns will be notified by letter, or emailed if this information is on file and advertised on www.countiespower.com/shutdowns.   Handy tips on preparing for a power outage can be found at www.countiespower.com/outage-tips.

 For more information on the company’s COVID-19 response and safety protocols go to www.countiespower.com/covid-19.  The best way to report an issue or outage or to check on a current outage download the free app by typing app.countiespower.com in your smartphone internet browser.