ESB announce plans to close Rhode

The ESB's board of directors has announced plans to proceed with the closure of the Rhode power station in Co Offaly on April 7.

The plant has not produced any electricity since a worker was seriously injured in an explosion in May 2001, but more than 100 staff have shown up for work every day since, something that has cost the company €60,000-a-week in wages and other costs.

The workers have already rejected a redundancy package that the company said was worth €250,000 to each worker.

Unions have rejected this figure, but are currently re-balloting their members by postal vote.

The ESB has given the workers until March 14 to accept the deal or it will be withdrawn.