The ESB has confirmed the closure of 27 of its 81 shops nationwide by the end of the summer.
The company also reported that the full-time staff involved - who were told of the development today - would be offered the option of redeployment or voluntary severage packages.
In a statement this evening teh company said: "The decision to rationalise ESB's retail operation is part of the Programme to Achieve Competitiveness and Transformation deal agreed by ESB management, unions and staff in July 2001 in order to prepare the company for the introduction of competition."
The ESB Officers' Association (ESBOA) today said the closures are part of an agreement reached in 2001 with the company in which the closure of 40 shops had been proposed.
"This was rejected by the ESBOA and following extended and difficult negotiations a final position was arrived at which indentified 27 locations to close at the end of August 2003," Mr Tony Dunne, ESBOA general secretary said.
"A comprehensive package of proposals was negotiated for those affected, including voluntary severance, relocation, protection of loss of earnings and an exit package for temporary staff," he added.
Customers who pay their bills at the outlets are not expected to be affected as alternative arrangements will be made.
Age Action Ireland has voiced concern about the closures saying it hits older people living in isolated rural communities, particularly hard.
"Their insistence that older people with supply difficulties and or complaints ring contact centres ignores the difficulty many older people have with using the telephone and assumes that every older person has access to a telephone," a spoekesman said.