Energy suppliers Ergon and Energex have declared they will not disconnect power for householders experiencing hardship due to the ongoing impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Deputy Premier and Treasurer, Jackie Trad said the decisions by the publicly-owned utilities would ensure vulnerable Queenslanders did not face the risk of being left without power during the health crisis.
“Every day the spread of COVID-19 means Queenslanders are facing more disruption to their daily lives,” Ms Trad said.
“Workers who have to self-isolate and lose income as a result should not have to deal with the fear of what will happen if they can’t pay their electricity bills.”
Minister for Energy, Anthony Lynham said discussions were under way in the deregulated South East Queensland (SEQ) market to finalise similar arrangements.
“In SEQ, Energex undertakes disconnections for retailers,” Dr Lynham said.
“Energex has already ceased disconnections for one large retailer and is finalising arrangements with the rest,” she said.
“As the response to Coronavirus escalates, publicly-owned Ergon and Energex want to minimise the impact on customers in financial difficulty.”
He encouraged people affected to reach out to Ergon or their retailer in SEQ and work with staff to outline their circumstances and find a solution.
“It is expected that customers with the capacity to pay continue paying their bills as normal with funds invested in keeping the power stations running and poles and wires connected,” Dr Lynham said.
