More than 130 South Australian Alinta Energy workers set to lose their jobs as early as next month will be given work in the public sector, the state government says.
More than 200 jobs will go when Alinta Energy closes its Leigh Creek coal mine in South Australia's north in November.
Another 200 workers will lose their jobs when Alinta shuts its two Port Augusta power stations by the end of March next year, the company says.
Manufacturing Minister Kyam Maher says 69 Leigh Creek workers, 58 Port Augusta workers and five Adelaide-based workers have a right to return to the public service after power stations were privatised in 1999.
Joseph Scales of the Australian Services Union's South Australian branch says while he is relieved to have clarity about the closure timeframes, workers' hardest days are still ahead of them.
"This is real now. Workers must now begin the difficult process of winding down work, looking for a new jobs and in many cases packing up their families to move to where employment is more available," he said on Wednesday.
Alinta previously said it would close its Port Augusta power stations and Leigh Creek coal mine as early as March next year.
The government has promised to keep providing essential services to Leigh Creek after its coal mine is shut.
Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said the Alinta announcement meant the state government could no longer ignore the state's regions.
"It is imperative that the government appreciates the gravity of the situation facing Port Augusta and Leigh Creek residents and makes the development of a response to these devastating job losses its number one priority," he said.
"The Weatherill government can not afford to be asleep at the wheel as a major employer in South Australia implements plans to shed a significant number of jobs."
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