Essential Energy, which employs 72 staff in Orange, are expected to announce the cuts in the next two weeks.

The energy supplier told staff a final meeting of the redundancy consultative committee will take place on Tuesday, September 8, before individual employees impacted by the cuts were notified on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10.

The Electrical Trade Union (ETU) and United Services Union (USU), which represent Essential Energy workers, said there were alternatives to the job cuts.

“Unions have put forward a range of options, including job sharing arrangements and other efficiencies, that could drastically reduce the number of local people who will lose their jobs,” ETU deputy secretary Neville Betts said.

“Allowed to continue, these huge staffing reductions will result in the loss of specialist skills and experiences from these communities, resulting in chronic future skills shortages not to mention network reliability and safety concerns.”

Mr Betts said the job loses were just the beginning.

“Essential Energy management have told unions that they already know the names and location for the remaining 1200 job losses that are yet to be announced, and we believe up to 300 of these will come from the south and Central West of the state,” he said.

USU energy manager Scott McNamara said the jobs would devastate many communities.

“These are the staff that ensure electricity services operate around the clock, providing quality customer service and going above and beyond in emergencies,” he said.

“Before the election National Party politicians were extremely vocal about protecting Essential Energy jobs.

“It seems they were really only interested in protecting one job, their own, and now that they are secure for another four years they are nowhere to be seen when it comes to protecting local jobs from these massive cuts.”

Member for Orange Andrew Gee said the Australian energy regulator’s determination to cut revenue from the electricity providers, which has led to Essential Energy’s cost cutting, was challenged in a submission by the NSW Nationals.

“NSW Labor chose to support the determination," he said.

“If the unions are dirty with anyone it should be with the Labor Party, which is, ironically enough, their own political wing.”

Essential Energy deputy CEO Gary Humphreys Essential Energy was undergoing a period of significant transformation to improve productivity and efficiency

“We recognise this is a tough time for all Essential Energy employees and are committed to ensuring the safety of our employees, contractors and the public remains our top priority,” he said.

According to the ETU and USU job loses will happen at depots in Orange, Bega, Bombala, Cooma, Jindabyne, Bathurst, Blayney, Canowindra, Molong, Oberon, Orange, Braidwood, Crookwell, Goulburn, Moruya, Boorowa, Gundagai, Harden, Queanbeyan, Tumbarunba, Tumut, and Yass.

tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au