COVID-19 / Coronavirus
We are committed to ensuring you have reliable power during this time of uncertainty. As many organizations throughout the state, we are following the guidelines outlined by the State of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health.
Below, we have outlined many of the steps that we are taking to ensure the safety of our employees and you, our members.
CEO Message
As we all adjust to the new realities brought on by COVID-19, I want you to know People’s Energy is dedicated to living up to the trust placed in us to deliver safe and reliable electricity. During this time of uncertainty, please be assured we will: 1) continue to provide power; 2) be available to serve you; and 3) not disconnect service at this time if you are struggling to pay your bill.
As an electric utility, we have been directed by the President of the United States to continue our normal work to ensure safe and reliable electricity. The recently issued Coronavirus Guidance for America states, “if you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.” Rest assured your electric service will not be disrupted due to any pandemic related directive.
While our front lobby is closed, and office staff are working remotely, please be assured that we remain available to serve you and are fully capable of responding to member needs. This includes but is not limited to receiving and responding to phone calls and e-mails during normal business hours, processing member payments, answering account questions, and responding to power outages.
If you’re home more during the day, you may have noticed our field employees working in your community. In order to abide by social distancing guidelines, we are doing our best to distance employees from each other, members, and vendors to limit the possible spread of COVID-19. For example, we are avoiding having more than one employee in a vehicle at a time. Also, any member or vendor contact that can wait until a later date is being postponed.
Lastly, if you are experiencing circumstances related to COVID-19 that are affecting your ability to pay your bill, please know People’s Energy will not disconnect your power at this time. That said, we ask that you call and discuss payment options and possible utility assistance programs to avoid falling too far behind.
Our focus here is on doing our part to keep your life as normal as possible through this situation and beyond. The cooperative way of doing business has brought us this far, and the cooperative way will help us through this crisis.
I encourage you to visit our website for the latest information or if you have any questions please email memberservices@peoplesrec.com or call (800) 214-2694. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work together to navigate these uncertain times.
Stay healthy, stay home, and we will get through this together…the cooperative way!
As the world faces enormous challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, we know there is widespread concern about public safety and business disruptions. I want you to know that People's Energy Cooperative is fully engaged on your behalf during this difficult time. We have put into place a mitigation strategy to help prevent the spread of the virus and are executing our business continuity plan to ensure we continue to best serve our members. Our plan includes engagement with policy makers on the state and federal level.
Because we provide a critical service, we are taking this matter very seriously and want to ensure that our staff stays healthy in order to best serve you, especially in the event outages occur. Therefore, effective at 4:00 p.m. on March 17, our front lobby was closed to the public until further notice. Our purpose in doing this is to help prevent any potential exposure to our employees.
Like all organizations, People's Energy Cooperative was forced to modify upcoming events including our 83rd Annual Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 24. The meeting will now be held in two parts. The sole purpose of the first part was to conclude board elections. Election results are posted on the front page of our website, along with our Facebook and Twitter pages. Part two will involve all other agenda items normally part of the Annual Meeting and will be held on a date and time yet to be determined. Members will receive their $10 bill credit for attending part two of the meeting.
As always, I appreciate your confidence and support. We are proud to assist our members as we work together to overcome this public health crisis.
Cooperative Operations
Restricted Access
Our lobby at our headquarters in Oronoco is closed to the public until further notice. If you need to drop off a payment, you can do so at the drop box located by the flagpole. If you need to speak to a Member Services Representative, you can call (800) 214-2694.
Conference Center
We are currently not allowing any outside entities to utilize our Conference Center. This means we are not taking any new reservations and we are asking those who have meetings scheduled through the end of April to find other accommodations.
Necessary Meetings at the Office
There still may be a need for necessary business meetings with outside guests. If this is the case, arrangements will be made to accommodate the meeting with a limited number of people and allow for social distancing. The amount of time spent in the meeting will also be limited. Sanitizer and tissues will be available in meeting rooms, and the room surfaces must be wiped down when the meeting is over.
Addressing Potential Exposures
Some staff have jobs requiring them to interact with members and the public, such as those in metering, key accounts, member services, and reception.
- Any member or vendor contact that can wait until a later date will be postponed.
- Employees will wear gloves if they need to handle items from the public, such as money or paper.
- Employees will be encouraging social distancing measures.
COVID-19/Coronavirus Resources
For the latest news and updates on COVID-19/Coronavirus, visit one of these trusted resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
This situation is unique from other business continuity planning, but People's Energy Cooperative has a plan in place. We have taken proactive measures to keep staff and members safe while continuing to monitor the situation relying on information from the Minnesota Department of Health. Rest assured, we are committed to delivering safe and reliable energy as we weather this crisis together.
Support Local Business
The COVID-19 crisis has put all of us in uncharted territory. We are here to support our members, including our small businesses. Below we have listed local businesses and restaurants that we understand are open for business. Please click on appropriate links to understand how their operations may have changed during this time.
We encourage you to continue patronizing them in whatever way you can. Please let us know of any other businesses that should be on this list.
Country Pleasures Cafe (Kasson)
Daniel's Restaurant/504 Tavern (Kasson)
Events Sports Bar & Grill (Kasson)
JW's Silver Grille (Chatfield)
Pondy Restaurant (Lake Zumbro)
Striker's Corner (Stewartville)