A LEADING North-East councillor is calling on the Government to actively protect the jobs of hundreds of power workers.

The appeal is on its way to the Department of Trade and Industry amid reports that Innogy (COR) the electricity company, which last year took over Northern Electric's supply business, is seeking to buy the Enron power station on Teesside.

Following the crash of American power giant Enron, the Grangetown plant has passed to administrators Price Waterhouse.

Weekend press reports asserted that Innogy has lodged a bid to buy the power station from Price Waterhouse, Enron's Europe's administrator.

The North-East power station, the largest gas fired power station in Europe, employs nearly 300 people, who face the prospect of months of uncertainty over the sale.

Now Coun David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, is urging the DTI to be "proactive'' in the sale of the Grangetown plant.

He said: "The plant is a key one to the Teesside economy and represents the bulk load of gas coming ashore via the CATS pipeline - another key factor for the good health and future prospects of the Teesside chemical industry.

"The reports also indicate that there may be another bid from the in-house managers to take it out of administration,'' Coun Walsh added.

"The financing and management arrangements of the station are complicated and involve a number of regional power utilities as well as Enron itself.

"It is for those reasons and because of the sheer size of unravelling the Enron collapse in the US that I am concerned that the sale process may be long and protracted. I would hope that the DTI would keep a careful eye on the disposal process for the power station and also of Enron Teesside Operations Ltd, which manages the entire Wilton site.''