
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, March 19, 1994                   TAG: 9403190086
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

VA. POWER OFFERS EARLY RETIREMENTS

Virginia Power has offered some employees a chance to retire early or leave voluntarily in the biggest work force reduction the utility has attempted in five years.

About 1,600 of Virginia Power's nearly 12,000 employees are eligible for early retirement effective June 1, although the union of the Richmond-based utility would have to approve the participation of about 400 hourly employees.

The offer to leave voluntarily is effective Sept. 30, and company officials said they could not estimate the number of employees who could take advantage of the offer.

Virginia Power predicted the two programs would result in the elimination of 500 to 700 jobs.

by CNB