Enea Group ensures energy security and combats COVID-19

The Enea Group operates efficiently in the face of the epidemic threat and ensures energy security for millions of Poles. Enea has adapted the work organization model in the Group employing over 16,500 people in order to support to the maximum extent the measures taken by the government and citizens in order to limit the spread of the virus. Already last week the power company implemented a number of safety enhancing procedures. The measures implemented in the whole Group are aimed at ensuring business continuity of Enea Group companies and protecting health of our clients and employees.

The Enea Group is an important part of Poland’s electrical energy system – it is the country’s second largest producer of electricity, responsible for supplying power to the north-western part of Poland.

“We know how vital the continuity of power supply is nowadays. Amidst the nationwide efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, we feel additional responsibility and the Enea Group is ready to face this challenge. Hospitals, important work establishments, as well as millions of homes which have become places of work for some of the population, are connected to our grid. Our employees have ensured safety of power supply by working round the clock, 7 days a week. If necessary, we are prepared to work in the so-called “emergency regime” without leaving the premises to assure continuity of the Group’s operations, production and supply of electricity. The Enea Group takes quick and efficient action in its commitment to the health of its clients, employees and all Polish people,” said Mirosław Kowalik, President of Enea.

Since last week the Crisis Management and Coordination Unit for Preventing, Counteracting and Combating COVID-19, appointed by the Management Board of Enea S.A., has been operating in the Enea Group. The unit prepared Enea proactively for the new challenges related to the coronavirus. Similar units operate also in key companies of the Group. Additionally, the Management Board of Enea decided to appoint in the companies of the Group teams coordinating the activities aimed at ensuring continuity of operations in key areas. The situation is being monitored all the time – recommendations and instructions are issued and consultations are held on an on-going basis.

“We are transparent in informing about the main activities undertaken in the Enea Group in connection with the coronavirus, in order to assure the public of the security and continuity of electrical energy power supplies. We also want to share our good practices with other enterprises. Companies like ours should set an example in this situation that is challenging for everyone,” added Mirosław Kowalik, President of Enea.

Organization of work

Already last week the Enea Group was prepared to ensure work from home for its employees while maintaining continuity of processes. In jobs where it was possible, work from home was introduced in accordance with the law prepared by the government on special solutions related to preventing, counteracting and combating COVID-19. Employees have been instructed to refrain from direct contacts, both on business and privately, with other employees.

Where work from home is not possible, Enea companies introduce a division into three groups with weekly turnover scheduled in a staggered manner to prevent groups of employees from meeting one another. Additional precautions were introduced in the power plants owned by the Group: Kozienice and Połaniec, as well as in heating installations in Piła and Białystok. Last week employee circulation in the power plant was divided to limit contacts to a necessary minimum. The premises were divided into zones in which only employees from specific groups are allowed to move.

Security of power generation and distribution

The Enea Group is also prepared for the scenario of the critical personnel of the power plan becoming ill. Likewise, the power plants are prepared for the possibility of complete closing of access to the installations should a decision be made on isolated generation of electrical energy. In such case the employees whose presence is critical for the continuity of the power plant operations perform their duties without leaving the premises. Decisions on this matter are made at the last stage of steps taken to protect against the coronavirus and will be made depending on the developments of the epidemic situation in Poland and in line with the recommendations of the government. Similar emergency procedures may be introduced, if necessary, in the services managing the distribution grid. The Group is prepared also to establish reserve teams of energy emergency assistance – all that in order to maintain continuity of power supply.

Rapid withholding of the work of Customer Service Offices  

On 13 March, the Customer Service Offices were temporarily closed until further notice. The decision was made to protect the health of customers and employees as well as to minimize the risk of the coronavirus spread. Enea encourages its customers to use channels of contact at a distance (information line, eBOK, chat). Matters related to electrical energy can be handled without leaving home via the online customer service office at ebok.enea.pl. You can check and pay your power bills there, as well as update your contact details or report issues to be handled. Our eBOK is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A visit to the Customer Service Office in person can also be replaced with a contact with Enea consultants by telephone at the information line 611 111 111 and via chat at www.enea.pl. The Company is well prepared to perform an increased number of activities via the channels of customer service at a distance. 

Assistance to hospitals – PLN 1.5m from the Enea Foundation

In connection with the epidemiologic situation in Poland, the Enea Group will donate PLN 1.5m to support hospitals which are fighting against the coronavirus. The assistance will go above all to the hospitals situated on the area on which the Enea Group operates: first of all these will be the hospitals indicated by the Ministry of Health converted into infectious disease hospitals. The money provided by the Enea Foundation can be used, among others, for the specialist medical equipment, including respirators, as well as the necessary means of hygiene and personal protection. The entire process of support is coordinated by the Ministry of State Assets, headed by deputy prime minister Jacek Sasin.

Auxiliary activities

The Enea Group, in accordance with the recommendations of the Main Sanitary Inspectorate, already last week withheld business travel to countries at risk. National and foreign travel was also limited to the necessary minimum. It was recommended to the employees to arrange meetings in the form of video or teleconferences. Persons returning from private foreign travel were obliged to inform their superiors of this fact before coming to work. In order to limit the spread of the virus the employees were also obliged to inform their superiors and provide details on any matters which might affect the spread of  COVID-19.

As early as at the beginning of March extraordinary precautions were introduced on the premises of power plants and, as the epidemiologic situation developed, the measures were adjusted accordingly. Upon reports of the first cases of infection on the territory of Poland it was decided to withhold the possibility of visiting the installations, the next steps were to limit to the minimum any access of third parties.

Body temperature measuring with the use of remote thermometers was introduced for all persons before the entrance to the premises of the Enea Group’s facilities. Disinfectant was also made available and clearly marked.

All activities are supported by the informational action and instructions as well as the provision via the internal communication channels of accurate information about the coronavirus from the materials provided by the Ministry of Health and the Main Sanitary Inspectorate.