Energy company focuses on safeguarding health while delivering essential energy servicesEversource Continues Essential Work to Ensure Reliability During Pandemic
As Eversource operates under its COVID-19 pandemic plan to safeguard the health and well-being of its employees and the communities it serves, the energy company continues to prepare for emergencies and perform essential work to ensure reliability for its four million customers across Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Recognizing the importance of this work, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security included electric, gas and water utility workers in its recently published list of “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.”
“The reliability of our essential service has never been more important than it is today during these
uncertain times,” said Eversource President of Regional Electric Operations in Connecticut and
Massachusetts Craig Hallstrom. “Critical facilities like hospitals and nursing homes need uninterrupted
service to care for their patients. Many people are working from home, and students are studying
remotely, relying on electronic devices to accomplish their goals.”
Under Eversource’s COVID-19 pandemic plan, essential work includes any work that maintains or improves the condition of the energy company’s electric and gas systems and supports its foundational
mission of safe, reliable energy service. Examples of essential work include, but are not limited to:
• replacement of electrical lines, poles, and other equipment needed to keep the systems operating;
• installation of automated switches that speed restoration of customers following an outage;
• new utility connections to provide service to homes and other facilities;
• vegetation management along electric lines, as trees remain the biggest threat to our system in
New England; 107 Selden St. Berlin, Connecticut 06037
• repair of natural gas leaks;
• replacement and upgrades of natural gas lines and other equipment; and
• work mandated by law or regulation.
Essential work is not the same as emergency work, which is in response to a specific and unexpected
outage or other need. Eversource has integrated its social distancing, hygiene and enhanced sanitation
measures to safeguard health and well-being into its emergency response planning while continuing to
prepare for and respond to potential emergencies. Following the storm that brought heavy, wet snow into
the region earlier this week, the energy company restored power to more than 56,000 customers in New
Hampshire in 24 hours while operating under its COVID-19 pandemic plan.
“While taking precautions under our COVID-19 pandemic plan to safeguard health, we continue working
to replace and upgrade natural gas lines, repair leaks and perform other essential work,” said Eversource
President of Gas Operations Bill Akley. “Ensuring that our customers have access to the reliable service
they need and continuing to prevent emergencies is paramount during this unprecedented time.”
Work that Eversource is not currently performing includes any non-critical field work that requires access
to homes or businesses like energy efficiency in-house visits, customer-requested meter relocations and
exchanges, and natural gas sales appointments. The energy company also postponed all business travel,
large meetings and employee gatherings and continues to require any employee whose job can be done
remotely to work from home.
While this pandemic continues to evolve, Eversource will continue to take all necessary precautions to
maintain reliable service for its customers and to ensure the safety and health of its employees and the
public. For more information on Eversource’s preparedness efforts and response to COVID-19, including
FAQs for customers, ways to save, and more please visit Eversource.com.
Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is the #1 energy
company in Newsweek’s list of America's Most Responsible Companies for 2020 and recognized as one of America’s Most JUST Companies and the top utility by Forbes and JUST Capital. Eversource transmits
and delivers electricity to 1.25 million customers in 149 cities and towns, provides natural gas to 237,000
customers in 74 communities, and supplies water to approximately 198,000 customers in 51 communities
across Connecticut. Eversource harnesses the commitment of approximately 8,300 employees across
three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and
water with superior customer service. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, the company is
empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally-recognized energy efficiency solutions
and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like solar, offshore wind, electric
vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit our website
(www.eversource.com) and follow us on Twitter (@EversourceCT) and Facebook
(facebook.com/EversourceCT). For more information on our water services, visit www.aquarionwater.com.
