Employees older than 55 who have worked for the distribution company more than eight years have been able to apply since December, it said in an email to Reuters. Documents seen by Reuters show the program will be open until Jan. 17.

Enel did not give details of how many people had accepted so far. One source with knowledge of the matter said that around 180 employees of the 3,000 eligible workforce had already taken buyouts.

Enel renamed Eletropaulo Metropolitana to Enel Distribuição São Paulo in December.