Coronavirus (COVID-19)
CS Energy is responding to COVID-19 to help keep our people and our communities safe, support our customers and maintain a reliable supply of electricity to the National Electricity Market.
We are following the latest advice from the relevant authorities and are committed to meeting, to the maximum extent possible, the principles set out in the Australian Energy Regulator’s Statement of Expectations of energy businesses.
latest updates
We'll publish updates on this page as new information comes to hand regarding COVID-19. You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
10/08/2021 - Travel to power stations
Please follow the latest Queensland Health requirements regarding COVID-19 restrictions and travel in Queensland. If you have any questions, please talk to your CS Energy site contact or contact the site Health and Safety team.
31/07/2021 - Brisbane lockdown and travel to power stations
If you have been in any of the local government areas for the current Brisbane lockdown, please follow Queensland Health's lockdown requirements and do not travel to CS Energy's power station sites.
29/6/2021 - Travel to power stations
Interstate travellers
The following will apply for those who intend to travel to Callide and Kogan Creek power stations from interstate:
- Anyone travelling from NSW will be unable to access Callide or Kogan for the period of the Government directed lockdown (midnight Friday 9th July).
- The Interstate traveller authorisation (~~~DocAnnotation.type.889~~~ ~~~DocAnnotation.size.889~~~) will apply to anyone wanting to come to site from any other State. This must be completed and returned to the site Health and Safety Business Partner who will review the completed form and make a recommendation to the site General Manager on the travel request. This is to be completed prior to making travel arrangements as there may be further requirements to fulfil, we recommend allowing five business days to allow for enough time in this process.
Travellers from within Queensland
Those that have been to alert zones at the designated times (as listed on the Queensland Government website for contact tracing) will need to abide by the Queensland Government directives.
If you are outside an alert zone and plan to come to Callide or Kogan Creek power stations from Brisbane you must complete our COVID-19 Declaration (DOCX 398.4KB)prior to coming to site, which will need to be sent to CS Energy's Health and Safety team for approval prior to travelling. Once approved you will also be required to complete a health declaration at security on arrival to site.
27/05/2021 - Victorian lockdown
INTERSTATE TRAVELLERS
Victoria has entered into a lockdown effective 11:59PM on 27th May until 11:59PM on 3rd June. The Queensland Government has declared the whole of Victoria a Hot Spot and full border controls are back in place.
Border controls require us to comply with Queensland Government requirements and we will need to provide substantial evidence of our genuine need for an exemption for a worker to cross the border.
'Essential workers' travelling to CS Energy sites must complete our Interstate Traveller Authorisation (~~~DocAnnotation.type.889~~~ ~~~DocAnnotation.size.889~~~) and provide it to CS Energy's Health and Safety team. Please note that this paperwork will need to be completed with enough notice to be able to apply for the Queensland Government exemption, so late applications will likely be unable to be approved.
For information on hot spots, alerts and border declaration requirements, please access the COVID-19 page on the Queensland Government website.
22/04/2021 - Updated COVID-19 requirements for visiting power stations
From 22 April 2021, the following requirements apply for contractors and visitors to Callide and Kogan Creek power stations
Contractors and visitors from within Qld
If you are planning to come to Callide or Kogan Creek power stations from Brisbane you will be required to complete a health declaration at the Security Hut when you arrive at site. We no longer require the additional COVID-19 Declaration to be completed for those travelling within Queensland.
Interstate travelers
The following process still applies for those who intend to travel to Callide and Kogan Creek power stations interstate:
For information on hot spots, alerts and border declaration requirements, please access the COVID-19 page on the Queensland Government website.
29/03/2021 - Brisbane lockdown and travel to power stations
If you have travelled to Brisbane over the weekend (27 & 28 March) the below restrictions now apply for travel to Callide and Kogan Creek power stations.
Contractors / visitors from brisbane
If you are planning to come to Callide or Kogan Creek power stations from Brisbane you must complete our COVID-19 Declaration (DOCX 398.4KB)prior to coming to site, which will need to be sent to CS Energy's Health and Safety team for approval prior to travelling. Once approved you will also be required to complete a health declaration at security on arrival to site.
Interstate travellers
The following process still applies for those who intend to travel to Callide and Kogan Creek power stations interstate:
For information on hot spots, alerts and border declaration requirements, please access the COVID-19 page on the Queensland Government website.
09/12/2020 - Travel to power stations following interstate travel
Our power station sites have some COVID-19 safety protocols in place for interstate travellers to be aware of. If employees, contractors or visitors travel interstate and want to visit Kogan Creek or Callide power stations within 14 days of returning from interstate they must:
- Discuss with the relevant site Health and Safety team prior to travelling.
- On return to Queensland, provide a medical certificate to the power station Health and Safety team prior to attending site.
Please be aware that changes may occur while you are travelling. We will continue to operate in line with Queensland Government requirements.
If you are sick with any COVID-19 symptoms, stay at home and seek medical advice from a doctor. If you are unsure about travel requirements or changes that may have occurred please contact your supervisor or your site’s health and safety team for further advice.
12/06/2020 - Callide Overhaul Program COVID-19 controls
CS Energy’s overhaul program at Callide Power Station starts on 20 June, with strict hygiene and safety measures in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the workforce and community.
As there will be extra workers on site for these overhauls, CS Energy has worked closely with Queensland Health on extra COVID-safe measures to help keep power station workers and communities safe. These include:
- limits for the number of people in work spaces, crib huts and buses to and from site
- increased cleaning and staggered meal breaks
- extra hygiene stations around site
- controls around lifts, and
- all workers signing a COVID-19 declaration before attending site.
Learn more about the 2020 Callide overhauls.
03/06/2020 - Energy sector comes together to support consumers
CS Energy is proud to support the Energy Charter’s “We’ve Got You” campaign, which aims to better inform consumers and business impacted by COVID-19 about available support options. This means that your energy retailer, with the backing of the rest of the industry, can offer you assistance suited to your needs, which could include:
- The flexibility to spread your bill payments over an extended period or defer your payments to a later agreed date
- Provide a guarantee that your lights will stay on and your gas will continue to flow until you get back on your feet
- Waive late fees and reconnection costs
- Review your energy plan to make sure you’re on the best one for your needs right now
- Let you know about discounts and government support. If you are accessing JobSeeker you may be able to access concessions and other entitlements on your energy bills.
The first step is getting in touch with your retailer.
CS Energy large commercial and industrial retail customers can contact us on 1800 950 595 or download our Customer Response to COVID-19 (PDF 270.9KB).
Household and small business customers should contact their retailer to find out how you can get the support you need. Learn more at www.theenergycharter.com.au/wevegotyou/.
15/05/2020 - Rent relief
CS Energy has committed to following the Queensland Government’s rent relief principles for our tenants who have been affected by COVID-19. This applies to tenants who either lease CS Energy property for residential purposes or to operate a business.
We own a small number of properties in the Western Downs, which we lease to third parties, primarily for agriculture and grazing activities. CS Energy is contacting organisations and individuals that lease properties from us to offer them rent relief if they are experiencing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19.
For more information on the Queensland Government’s rent relief principles, please visit the Queensland Treasury website.
27/04/2020 - Eligibility for COVID-19 business electricity rebate
Sole traders, small and medium businesses that consume less than 100,000 kilowatt hours will get a $500 rebate on their power bill, as part of the Queensland Government's COVID-19 economic relief package for businesses. The rebate will be automatically applied on business electricity bills.
If your business is a CS Energy retail customer, please read the eligibility information from the Queensland Government below for further details.
eligibility information
Any small business who consumes less than 100 MWh per annum and has a single account that is active on 30 April 2020, will be eligible to receive the $500 small business rebate, as an automatic credit on their next electricity bill.
Application of rebate to small businesses with multiple sites
Some small businesses that have multiple sites/premises may not be identified to receive the $500 rebate initially if the total (aggregated) consumption for the business (across all sites) is more than 100MWh per annum. Additionally, some small businesses that do not receive a bill directly from a retailer (e.g. franchisees that are billed by the head office of a parent company) may also not be identified to receive the $500 rebate initially.
Irrespective of a small business customer’s billing or contract arrangements, if an individual small business (e.g. franchisee) with multiple sites/premises did not receive the rebate and inquires about their eligibility, retailers and embedded network operators may apply the rebate to each site/premises providing:
- the business is registered under a business name and the business has an ABN;
- consumption at each individual site/premises is not greater than 100MWh per annum;
- the sites/premises that the business produces goods and/or provides services at are located in Queensland; and
- the business is not an excluded business (refer below for information on excluded businesses).
Businesses that are NOT eligible for the rebate
- banks and financial institutions (e.g. branches, ATMs);
- utilities, including telcos (e.g. Telstra shops) and rail (e.g. train stations);
- government-owned sites at federal, state and local level (e.g. Centrelink, council buildings); and
- health funds (e.g. BUPA and Medibank stores).
forms and more info
Please visit the Department of Communities website and complete either Form 513 or Form 514, depending on your situation. If you have any questions, please phone CS Energy's Retail Team on 1800 950 595 or email retailsales@csenergy.com.au.
15/04/2020 - Support for casual contractors
CS Energy has guaranteed wages for its casual contractors if they get coronavirus or have to self-isolate. Read more.
26/03/2020 - Shortened payments terms for SMEs
Supporting small and medium business
- CS Energy has shortened our payment terms for small to medium businesses suppliers from 30-days to 14-day payment terms to help them manage their cashflows during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Previously, CS Energy had provided 14-day terms to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on request. After seeing the economic and social impacts of coronavirus in Australia in recent weeks, we have moved to make 14-days the default payment terms for the more than 1,000 SMEs that we use.
19/03/2020 - Our response to COVID-19
health and hygiene
- Implementing our Pandemic Response Plan (PRP), acknowledging that this issue is evolving rapidly and our PRP is under constant review. The Pandemic Response Team is meeting frequently to review new information and ensure that we are responding appropriately.
- Adopting recommended hygiene and social distancing measures.
- Cancellation of all non-essential work travel (via air or car). Non-critical training and non-critical face to face meetings have also been cancelled.
- Extra cleaning at all sites, including high traffic areas and touch areas.
- Segregating critical roles, including operational and trading staff, to reduce any potential risk of infection.
- Protocols are in place for any person seeking medical clearance to return to work at CS Energy should they have a confirmed case of coronavirus or been required to self-isolate in accordance with government health protocols.
business continuity
- CS Energy has not been adversely impacted by coronavirus to date and all CS Energy sites have business continuity plans in place for critical activities, which are being implemented.
our people and the community
- Supporting our employees to accommodate their personal circumstances and to work from home, wherever possible.
- Our employees will be able to access 20 days paid “Special Pandemic Leave” when their paid sick leave has been exhausted.
- Supporting small to medium enterprises by paying our invoices as soon as a good or service is provided.
- Keeping our employees, contractors, suppliers and local communities informed about our response to coronavirus.
customers
- Our Retail Team is available to support large commercial and industrial customers with any queries you may have. Please contact us on 1800 950 595 or email retailsales@csenergy.com.au. There may be slight delays so please bear with us.
OUR RESPONSE
Looking after the health and wellbeing of our people
CS Energy has implemented comprehensive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at our sites, including social distancing, hygiene protocols, education and increased cleaning.
We have also provided proactive communication to our people about the avenues available to them to support their mental wellbeing during COVID-19, such as our free Employee Assistance Program and online resources on managing wellbeing.
In June 2020 we introduced additional COVID-safe measures in preparation for our major overhaul program at Callide Power Station, which brought 200 extra workers to the site.
Our Outage Hygiene Management Plan for the overhaul was reviewed by Queensland Health and provided extra controls around lifts, transport, meal breaks, crib huts and contractor accommodation.
No positive cases of COVID-19 have been recorded at our sites or office to date. However, strict protocols remain in place to protect our people in the event of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
Maintaining electricity supply
The COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on the critical role of essential workers and service providers in the community. Our power stations have kept generating electricity since the onset of COVID-19, helping to power homes and businesses throughout the NEM.
We adjusted the operating profile of our plants to assist in preventing unplanned outages and postponed non-critical work that did not impact plant reliability or overhaul readiness.
In particular, we deferred the major overhaul program at Callide Power Station by two months so it started in June 2020 to avoid the predicted peak of COVID-19 in Australia.
Keeping our business running from work and home
In the early days of the pandemic, CS Energy implemented business continuity plans for critical activities at our sites. We moved quickly to segregate our critical operational, maintenance and market trading staff from the rest of the workforce to reduce any potential risk of infection.
From March 2020 we supported all personnel whose roles are not essential to the generation of electricity to work from home. We utilised video meeting technology and accelerated the rollout of software collaboration tools to enable our people to work effectively from home and stay connected with their colleagues.
The majority of our power station workers are now back on site and we are transitioning our Brisbane employees back to the office in a phased process. Where possible, we have offered our employees the opportunity to continue working some of their hours from home to capture the mutual benefits of the new ways of working during the lockdown.
Supporting our customers
Our customers are large organisations in the commercial and industrial retail market in Queensland. As a foundation signatory to the Energy Charter, CS Energy is committed to putting customers at the centre of our business.
Our Retail Team is available to support our large commercial and industrial customers with any queries that you may have. Please contact us on 1800 950 595 or email retailsales@csenergy.com.au.
We encourage our customers to familiarise themselves with recent government initiatives to support businesses affected by COVID-19, such as the Queensland Government's $500 rebate on energy bills for small and medium businesses.
Learn more about our Customer Response to COVID-19 (PDF 270.9KB).
Backing our local communities
Our response to COVID-19 recognised both the health and economic impacts of the pandemic in the community. The comprehensive health and hygiene measures at our sites were designed to protect not just our people, but also provide a key line of defence against community transmission.
In response to the economic impact of COVID-19 on our local communities, we shortened our payment terms to 14-days for our suppliers who are small to medium businesses to help them manage their cashflows. This will assist with SME cashflows which are already under pressure. Additional information for CS Energy suppliers is available on our Suppliers page.
We have also guaranteed wages for our casual contractors if they get coronavirus or have to self-isolate, and offered rent relief to our tenants if they are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the pandemic.