In a response to Shadow energy secretary Douglas Lumsden’s assertion that Scottish ministers have not engaged with worried residents concerning the proposed power line from Kintore to Tealing, a spokesperson for the Scottish Government has said that a consent application for the line has yet to be filed by SSEN Transmission.
SSEN plan to build a 400kV power line from Kintore to Tealing, as part of the firm’s planned upgrades to the electricity transmission network across Argyll and Kintyre, taking it from 132kV to 275kV.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Why? Free to subscribe, no paywall, daily business news digest.
Douglas Lumsden had criticised acting cabinet secretary for net zero and energy Gillian Martin for failing to connect with the community and “hiding behind her job title”.
Speaking to Energy Voice, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “When an application is received, a full public consultation is carried out, and Scottish Ministers invite representations from members of the public and consult the appropriate community councils, alongside other public bodies.”
SSEN commented: “We have consulted extensively with local communities in relation to the Kintore to Tealing project, resulting in significant changes to our proposals, including alternative overhead line routes and the relocation of the previously proposed new substation at Fiddes to a new proposed site in Fetteresso Forest.”
Douglas Lumsden has also advocated for transmission lines to be buried or placed offshore.
However, SSEN has stated that this course of action comes with its own issues, as: “technical challenges and geographical constraints limit the use of only offshore or underground solutions, while the high cost of this technology – underground cables at 400kV are estimated to be between 5 and 10 times more expensive than overhead lines – must be considered to limit the cost to energy bill payers.”
“Overhead lines can carry substantially more power than subsea or underground cables, with onshore reinforcements supporting the Scottish Government’s target of achieving an additional 8-12GW of onshore wind by 2030, while helping meet local electricity needs and improving network reliability.”
The Scottish Government spokesperson commented: “When an application is submitted by SSEN it will follow proper procedure and engage with locals.
“Potential impacts on communities, nature, and cultural heritage, including the cumulative effects of developments, are important considerations in the decision-making process.”
