Perthshire politicians have revealed they will this week meet with OVO bosses to discuss potential job losses.
The energy giant announced last week it was closing its Perth office where it is understood around 700 OVO employees are based.
Local SNP MSPs John Swinney and Jim Fairlie and MP Pete Wishart have arranged a meeting with the company's senior management on Wednesday.
OVO took over the retail arm of SSE in January 2020.
Last Thursday OVO announced it was restructuring. The restructuring programme will see OVO reduce its number of UK offices from 10 to three. They will be in London, Bristol and Glasgow.
Its Perth base at Grampian House on Dunkeld Road will close.
OVO has confirmed it has launched a voluntary redundancy programme but the number of workers taking voluntary redundancy is uncertain at this point.
A new OVO Academy will be opened in Glasgow. Staff who live within 30 miles of it will be based at that office. Anyone outside the 30-mile radius will work from home.
A spokesperson for OVO said: "Scotland is a great place for our business, which is why we’re making it an operational centre of excellence, and one of our three office locations.
"We are opening a new OVO Academy in Glasgow, creating opportunities in the city that hosted COP26, for those who want to be at the forefront of the UK’s green revolution.
"While we’re closing some of our offices, there is an opportunity for remote working. The pandemic has changed the way we work, and many of our offices are underused with people already working remotely.
"We’re committed to investing in Scotland; creating higher skilled, better paid jobs in Scotland.”
Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart called the decision to shut the Perth office "shameful".
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "OVO is one of the largest private employers in my constituency, and the closure of the Perth base will have a devastating impact on the local labour market.
"This announcement is particularly shameful given the job security promises that OVO made when they took over SSE Energy Services just two years ago.
"Big questions still remain, including exactly just how many jobs will be lost, which I will be seeking clarity over during this week's meeting. I will also be urging OVO to double down on their efforts to protect as many jobs as possible.
"If any constituents wish to raise their concerns on this matter, my office can be contacted directly by telephone or email."
Mr Swinney's office confirmed the deputy first minister spoke to a Unite representative on Friday, and they have agreed to regularly stay in contact throughout this process.
The Perthshire North MSP told the LDRS: "I am pleased that we have been able to quickly arrange a meeting with OVO senior management. This will allow us to better understand their decision-making process and emphasise the damage that these potential job losses will have on the local economy.
“It was also useful to speak to a representative of the Unite union. Throughout this process, it is vital that the needs of the affected employees are put front and centre, and I am committed to offering assistance to any of my constituents who are now facing the prospect of potentially losing their job as a result of this announcement."
Last week Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "We will do everything in our power to defend our members’ jobs. All and every option will be on the table. As a first step the company must now open the books to union experts. We will not sit by and watch our members being made to pay the price of the pandemic."
