Support will provide funding to organizations on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response, including first responders, community and rural hospitals, food security programs and technology for remote learning for schools.

The Enel Group’s US-based company, Enel North America, which operates through renewable energy company Enel Green Power North America and the advanced energy services company Enel X North America, announced today that it will provide 1.3 million USD to support more than 75 local organizations across 17 US states, Washington D.C., and Alberta, Canada, as they respond to COVID-19. Enel North America has over 100 plants, offices and projects in the US and Canada. This support will help organizations and frontline workers, primarily in rural communities where the business operates, who are experiencing a critical shortage of essential resources.

“At Enel North America we have always felt a deep responsibility to support the health and well-being of the communities where we live and work, and even more so during this crisis. COVID-19 has caused unprecedented economic challenges for critical service organizations in many communities and we hope our support can provide some sense of relief. From rural hospitals to first responders, local schools and foodbanks, these organizations and their workers are on the frontlines and we thank essential workers everywhere for their extraordinary and unwavering response to this crisis.”

Enrico Viale, Head of Enel North America

Enel North America is committed to a multi-phase, community-based response to address both immediate health and social services needs, plus long-term socioeconomic impacts from this crisis. Recipient organizations represent critical services in local communities including:

• Community, rural and not-for-profit hospitals to help fund necessary equipment and supplies, including PPE;
• First responders, including rural, volunteer fire districts and EMTs, to supplement funding shortages and improve capacity to respond to health and other emergency situations;
• Regional and local food banks and food pantries to address food insecurity for the most vulnerable populations;
• Social services to provide aid and critical support for senior citizens;
• Local schools to support free meals to children and technology upgrades for remote learning.

In addition to supporting these local organizations, as an essential power generator, Enel North America has implemented enhanced safety measures and restructured its workforce plan to maintain physical distancing and teams separation across its portfolio of more than 80 renewable energy power plants. This restructuring will help to ensure a continued, reliable electricity supply to homes, businesses and critical services in the communities where it operates. Enel North America also plans to support the economy by moving forward with its 2020 hiring plan.