Southwestern Electric Cooperative will continue to keep coronavirus mitigation measures in place through the end of 2020. “Based on the past several months and our current climate, it’s likely Illinois and CDC COVID mitigation measures will extend into 2021,” said Southwestern CEO Bobby Williams. “It makes sense to extend Southwestern’s current office and remote work arrangement into 2021 as well.”

In March, the cooperative took precautions to safeguard the health of employees and members and curb the spread of COVID-19. Protective measures included adopting CDC health and safety guidelines, observing social distancing protocols, wearing face coverings when appropriate, and reviewing safety measures with employees. Those precautions have remained in place since spring.

Williams said the cooperative would reassess conditions in January 2021 and revise its plans or stay the course accordingly. “We expect our lobbies and drive-up windows to remain closed through the end of 2020,” he said. “Our employees will continue to answer your calls, respond to your questions, and repair outages quickly and safely, just as they always do.”

Williams encouraged members to manage their accounts, report outages and make payments using the co-op’s online payment portal, by using the SWEC IL app, or by calling the cooperative at (800) 637-8667.