Updated March 31, 2020 16:15:53

Photo: AGL boss Brett Redman says the company has proper contingency plans in place to deal with the crisis. (ABC News)

AGL chief executive Brett Redman says contingency plans are being constantly updated to ensure the energy giant's generators remain secure as it manages the risk of workers contracting the coronavirus.

"First and foremost, I want to give people confidence that the lights will stay on," Mr Redman told the ABC's AM program.

"That doesn't mean that we don't have to take significant action. But we're making sure that our operations will keep operating come what may."

As an essential service, Mr Redman confirmed he was in constant discussions with regulators and state and federal government agencies to deal with the worst-case scenario of a significant outage which would result in lights going out.

"Right across the industry people and businesses are working together to ensure the lights stay on," Mr Redman said.

"Where the risk might arise is where we might have a significant outage and we have to send in large maintenance crews both of our people and contractors which can run to hundreds of people. In those situations it might become more difficult."

Key parts of AGL's crisis plan are developing split shifts for workers, keeping teams apart, building accommodation onsite to ensure there is enough bedding and rooms in case a worker or workers need to be isolated.

"We've been booking hotel rooms in local towns so we have what's needed and we're doing everything we can to make sure that whatever happens we'll continue to operate."

AGL employs 4,000 workers and operates key gas and coal-fired plants at Loy Yang in Victoria and Bayswater and Liddell in New South Wales.

$130b stimulus 'a positive move' to help 'businesses on the edge'

Mr Redman has backed the Federal Government's $130 billion emergency package announced yesterday to ensure workers remained employed during a potential six-month shutdown across the economy.

"I think it's a very positive move by the Government," he said.

"There are many businesses out there that are right on the edge. We need to keep people employed and ready to spring back when we get to the other side of this lockdown."

Breaking down the latest news and research to understand how the world is living through an epidemic, this is the ABC's Coronacast podcast.

Mr Redmann said AGL had taken its previous disaster plan for times of extreme heat and bushfires and finetuned it for the coronavirus crisis.

"Clearly, no-one expected something of this magnitude. If you'd asked me at the height of the bushfires 'is this as bad as it gets?', I would have said 'I think so'," Mr Redman said.

AGL has deferred payments and suspended disconnections until July 31 for customers under financial stress as a result of the pandemic and will consider extending the date if necessary.

"We'll have to sustain it for as long as we have to ... to get people through this crisis. Customers in financial distress can expect us to be supporting them through this change that allows them to get the breathing space that they need," Mr Redman said.

Mr Redman has supported the Prime Minister's actions in unleashing unprecedented emergency stimulus which has now hit $320 million or 16.4 per cent of gross domestic product.

"I feel for Scott Morrison, the man," he said.

"He is getting up every day facing very difficult choices to try to take on the best advice and to steer us through it.

"We'll look back with perfect hindsight and pick out where things could have been done better. I think the Government is steering a good, sensible middle course and we're very supportive of what they're doing."

Topics: covid-19, infectious-diseases-other, diseases-and-disorders, health, business-economics-and-finance, electricity-energy-and-utilities, industry, australia

First posted March 31, 2020 14:48:02