VANCOUVER -- BC Hydro has set up a financial relief program for anyone who might have trouble paying their electricity bill because of COVID-19 or quarantines.

“This provides options such as payment deferrals or flexible payment plans, which will help to spread out the cost of their electricity use into future months,” said Tanya Fish, a BC Hydro spokesperson.

“It just helps to relieve some of that financial burden that some customers may be facing as a result of the outbreak.”

B.C. residents have been told to stay home if they are sick, and to self-isolate for a 14-day period if they are returning to Canada from any foreign country. Some workers are also feeling the pinch of reduced work as events across the province are cancelled in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

BC Hydo’s program is similar to the help the Crown corporation has offered to British Columbians who have been affected by wildfires in past years, Fish said.

Customers who need help paying their utility bill can call BC Hydro’s customer service line at 1-800-BCHYDRO (1-800-224-9376) and speak to a customer service agent. Customers will not need to provide any documentation, Fish said.

BC Hydro customers may also be able to access more help through BC Hydro’s existing customer crisis fund, which is available for people who have lost their job, are struggling with the loss of a family member or any other life emergency that could make paying bills difficult. To be eligible for that fund, customers will need to provide documentation and complete an application, Fish said.

To make sure the power keeps flowing during the COVID-19 crisis, BC Hydro has already taken steps to limit staff’s interaction with the public, including closing its in-person customer service desks.

“We have taken precautionary measures in terms of isolating our critical functions,” Fish said.

The company has also stopped all non-essential travel for employees, has increased cleaning and has halted site tours and stakeholder meetings.

“This is certainly have new experience for us and I’d say unprecedented for us,” Fish said.

“We have implemented a pandemic response plan and are working very closely with our emergency management team here as well as the province to ensure that are aligned on our in our actions.”

BC Hydro hasn’t yet noticed any increased use of electricity because more people are staying home or working from home, Fish said.