June 2020 - Issue 232

Box 1420 Camrose, AB T4V 1X3 North of Junction, Highways 13 & 21 www.brpower.coop | brpc@brpower.coop

24 Hour Toll-free: 1.877.428.3972 | Local: 780.672.7738 | Fax: 780.672.7969

Battle River Power Coop Office Reopening

Effective June 29th, 2020, Battle River Power Coop will open our office doors to the public, unless there is a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases. This means employees will return to the office to carry out their daily duties and we will be open to the public without the need for an advance appointment. (Please refer to the Board of Directors’ Message on the back page for more detail.)

A guy-wire, guy-line, or guy-rope, also known as simply a guy, is a tensioned cable designed to add stability to a free-standing structure. Some utility poles buried in the ground have sufficient strength to stand on their own; but others need guy-wires to support loads and to resist ground movement. The lower end where the cable enters the ground is often encased in a length of yellow or orange plastic reflector to make it more visible so that people or vehicles do not run into it. However, not all free standing poles or structures may have reflectors. Annually, we remind farmers during seeding and harvest season to check your surroundings all day/every day and be certain that they can safely navigate around the power poles and guy-wires.Additionally, we have cautioned members who are snowmobilers in rural areas to watch out for guy-wires, as snow depth and weather conditions (in particular snow glare on a sunny day) can compromise the visibility of these guy-wires.

We are now issuing another caution about guy-wires relating to livestock. For example, cattle rubbing on a guy-wire (see photo below taken by one of our field personnel) will cause a utility pole to shake and move, decreasing the stability of the pole which could result in a power outage. Battle River Power Coop members who have cattle pastured or corralled where a guy-wire is present can improve the reliability of their own electricity and the safety of their herd, by installing a fence post on either side of the guy wire. We encourage members to check their property for potential livestock and guy-wire interactions.

The Importance of Guy Wires

The Battle River Power Coop Pandemic Plan, implemented at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, had several components; from strategic financial decisions to detailed actions and protocols to keep employees safe. Following are some of the fundamentals that form part of that plan.

Battle River Power Coop Pandemic Employee Health and Safety Protocols

Basic instructions include washing hands often with soap and water and/or hand sanitizer, disinfecting individual work space at the end of each day, using dish towels only once and a recommendation to everyone to bring their own dishes for lunch and coffee each day.

Social distancing, both internally and externally, is a key directive and there are reminder posters throughout the organization to keep that 2 meter distance top of mind.

Social distancing internally (left to right) Breanna touching base with Kevin and Ashley delivering information to Mike.

Administrative/office staff in departments with two or more employees alternate weekly between working at the office or from home. Pictured is Nansee, our new communications person, maintaining important communications with members and staff.

Externally, the pole framing crew of Nic (left) and Sheldon (right) maintain a suitable and safe working distance from each other.

Due to the confined space in the reception area, it is manned by one person (Kathy is pictured above) behind a clear barrier. The second receptionist is located in a back office.

Segregating work areas and eliminating and/or reducing contact between various departments and groups was also important. Office employees, with the exception of senior management, are not permitted to enter the shop or the crew area. Field personnel continue to refrain from accessing the office. This separation is sometimes difficult with our Battle River Power Coop team approach, but all employees recognize the importance of adhering to these guidelines.

Whenever possible, field staff will proceed directly from home to their field locations (inset photo: Sheldon leaving for work). Field crew members on job sites will have specific tasks and work locations (pictured above) to maintain social distancing having regard to safety practices.

Entry into the shop by more than two people at a time is discouraged unless they are work partner pairs and office staff are prohibited from entering the shop. However, because of the open space in this area, small meetings of fewer than 15 people, 2-meters apart can be held here.

Field crews are now working in pairs rather than groups of four and the same pair always shares the same truck. Pictured above are Michel (left) and Taylor.

Sanitizing supplies and reminders are located strategically within the office.

Employees continue to monitor their temperatures before work every day, are directed to remain at home if they feel sick and encouraged to contact Alberta Health Services should they have concerns about COVID-19 contact.

The RRO may increase or decrease from month to month as it is priced on the open market and subject to many factors relating to supply and demand. It is not a ‘regulated’ rate, rather it is a default rate. If you do not have an energy contract, then you are on the RRO.For June 2020, the RRO is priced at $0.06078 per kWh, reflected on your enclosed blue bill. For July 2020, the REA monthly rate as calculated under the RRO regulation is $0.06729. Detailed information on the monthly RRO is available on: www.brpower.coop.

REGULATED RATE OPTION

Members are free to purchase electricity services from a retailer of their choice. For a list of retailers, visit ucahelps.alberta.ca or call 310-4822 (toll free in Alberta).

BATTLE RIVER POWER COOP IS AVAILABLE FOR POWER TROUBLE CALLS 24/7/365 CALL TOLL-FREE: 1.877.428.3972

After careful deliberation, the Board of Directors, in consultation with management, has determined effective June 29th, 2020, Battle River Power Coop will open our doors to the public with our normal hours of operation.

One of the key goals of our pandemic plan was to keep our employees and our members safe, while maintaining the reliability of our system.

A number of health and safety protocols were implemented as outlined in the center pages of the newsletter. Some actions were very basic, some were implemented as a result of government recommendations and others had definite impacts on how our staff interacted and operated. However the end goal, was, and is the same – keep employees safe.

With the reopening, employees will return to the office to carry out their normal daily duties. Staff will be monitored and we will coordinate with individuals to ensure they are in good health as they return and remain at work.

We will continue to practice pandemic protocols throughout the organization and in particular our reception area, where we will incorporate social distancing and provide an appropriate sanitation process for visitors (hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes, etc.).

Our visitor room is equipped with a plexiglass desk barrier for the protection of members, visitors and staff.

Additionally we request that individuals visiting the office ensure they have not travelled in the last 14 days, have not been exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19, and if they are not feeling well, we will ask them to please reschedule their visit.

The safety and wellbeing of both visitors to the office and our employees is important to Battle River Power Coop and we will be working diligently to maintain both.

In the event of a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases, we will revisit the office opening decision.

Message from the Board of Directors