COVID-19 pandemic (Photo: Ergon)
March 19, 2020
Ergon and Energex won’t disconnect power for householders experiencing hardship due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.
Treasurer Jackie Trad said the decision by the publicly owned utilities would ensure vulnerable Queenslanders do not face the risk of being left without power.
“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,” Ms Trad said.
“In light of that, Ergon Energy Retail and Ergon Network have stopped disconnecting power for unpaid bills in regional Queensland for households facing genuine hardship.”
Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said discussions were under way in the deregulated south-east Queensland market finalising similar arrangements.
“I encourage those affected to reach out to Ergon or your retailer in SEQ and work with their staff to outline their circumstances and find a solution,” he said.
“It is expected that customers with the capacity to pay continue paying their bills as normal.
“These measures have been able to be put in place quickly due to Queensland Government ownership of our energy assets.”
