Electric cooperatives seeking the latest in COVID-19 mitigation strategies to address personnel and operational issues have a new resource guide from the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council.

The CEO-led organization developed the guide to help electric utilities with business, generation and control center continuity during the pandemic. The guide also addresses mutual assistance and supply chain considerations. Representatives from electric co-ops, municipal utilities and investor-owned utilities collaborated on the project and continue to do so during the crisis as more issues or solutions arise.

“This is a much-needed resource for the times,” said NRECA CEO Jim Matheson. “The ESCC offers guidance that co-ops can use to help navigate these uncharted waters while serving member-consumers safely and effectively.”

The guide includes recommendations to prepare for entering a home or commercial building where COVID-19 contamination is known or suspected and how to operate in a community or region that is government-restricted due to the disease.

ESCC, where electric co-ops and NRECA have long had leadership roles, is the principle liaison between the electric power sector and the federal government to facilitate preparation and response to national disasters and threats to the country’s critical electric infrastructure. 

“Sharing practices and expertise will allow participants to make better-informed independent, localized decisions that will help reduce the negative impacts to the country’s electric power supply during the COVID-19 global pandemic,” the ESCC said. 

The resource guide is updated regularly to reflect additional or revised guidance. Updates to the guide are available here at the COVID-19 Resource Hub on cooperative.com.