Kevan has received the following update from EDF:

EDF Update from Simone Rossi, CEO

These are unprecedented times, creating challenges for us all. So it feels important that I should write to you personally to let you know what EDF is doing to help our customers and our country during the Coronavirus crisis, whilst keeping our staff safe.

First and foremost, I want to reassure everyone who relies on us that they will continue to get the energy they need from us.

EDF is an energy supplier for millions of residential and business customers as well as public services like the NHS, government and Royal Mail. To serve them, our staff are working in call centres or from home, focused on helping customers who are elderly, vulnerable or on prepayment meters. Our staff are doing their best to help in these challenging circumstances so please treat them with respect and care. Our dedicated relationship managers are also working remotely to support our large business and public service customers.

We are the UK’s largest generator of low-carbon electricity and we take this responsibility very seriously.

We are doing the following to support the country:

 

  • Our engineers have been categorised as key workers and will be working shifts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, keeping all our power stations running safely throughout the crisis. Our nuclear and renewable generation teams will continue to provide the nation with the always-on, clean power it needs.

 

  • Around 700 of our smart meter engineers are being reassigned to serve our country. We are deploying them to support customers in emergency situations, and hundreds of them have volunteered to go further, providing food and medicine deliveries to those in need.

 

  • We have set aside funds for those customers who have prepayment meters but can’t recharge them. This could be because they are in self-isolation, are unwell, or have lost their jobs.

 

  • For customers who face financial difficulties, we have developed a package of measures to help. We welcome the government’s recent announcement of help for individuals and businesses facing financial difficulties due to COVID-19. If you are seriously affected by the crisis EDF may be able to offer additional help, such as a payment plan. This will be judged on a case-by-case basis. You can access this support and FAQs on our website.

 

  • Our priority is answering calls from customers who are elderly, vulnerable or are having problems with their electricity supply. So, we are asking all our residential and business customers to ensure you are registered for MyAccount or our app. You can then manage your account online and not call unless it’s an emergency. Find answers to frequently asked questions, including how to access the help outlined above on our website. By doing this you are helping us help those who need it most.

 

  • At Hinkley Point C, we believe the right decision is to reduce the number of people at the construction site.  We expect current levels of people on Site to reduce from 4,000 to 2,000 by end of the week and further as work already in progress is completed, allowing us to leave the Site in good order. By reducing the number of people on Site we are helping to prevent the spread of coronavirus to protect staff and the wider public. Steps we have already taken include shutting our project office, working from home for those that can, temperature checks on people entering the Site, extra cleaning regimes, changes in shifts, breaks and movement patterns to support social distancing, additional bus services and extra spaces for breaks.

 

At a time when there is so much uncertainty, I hope the measures we are putting in place give you comfort that we take our responsibilities seriously and that when it comes to your energy supply, EDF will keep your lights on. Keep an eye out for additional EDF updates on our social media channels.

Please take care of yourselves and your loved ones in the months ahead, and continue to follow the government health advice.

Finally, I’d like to say thank you to all our customers for your understanding and patience during these challenging times.

Thank you

 

Simone Rossi

Chief Executive Officer, EDF

 

For the latest updates please see their website