ESB management has warned workers at the Rhode Power Station in Co Offaly that a decision to close the plant is likely to be taken shortly and the plant could be closed by the end of March/ early April.

Workers at the plant recently rejected a package worth about €250,000 each and yesterday local management told workers the plant must close.

The workers involved appear increasingly isolated and a re-ballot on the original offer may be undertaken.

The ESB has been reluctant to adopt a confrontational approach with the staff in case wildcat strike action takes place and power supplies are put at risk. However, sources played down this prospect last night.

ESB management emphasised to workers that the deal could not be improved, although local management was prepared to explain the terms and how they might affect individuals.

Because the deal was only rejected a week ago by a narrow margin, the outcome of a re-ballot would be unpredictable.

At present the workers are only entitled to the standard ESB voluntary severance package, so a re-ballot would have to be passed for the Rhode workers to get the enhanced package.

No electricity has been produced at the plant since a worker was seriously injured in an explosion in May 2001. Despite a board decision last February to proceed with closure, negotiations failed to establish an agreement.

More than 100 staff have clocked in every day since the explosion, with the ESB spending €60,000 per week on wages and other costs, including shift and overtime allowances and local and national pay increases.

It is not clear how workers might react to any closure, but the company would ask workers to re-deploy to other power stations. Some of the 104 workers have already done this.

The workers's lack of support among the union leadership in ESB is regarded as a major handicap in them getting support in the event of wildcat action.

However, the workers have warned management they will not be bullied into accepting the €20 million closure offer. The workers claim they were not consulted on the package and this should be addressed, even at this late stage.

Workers are worried their health may have been compromised because of exposure to asbestos in the plant.

But ESB management has insisted this health and safety issue is separate from industrial relations questions at the power plant..