The Scottish Government’s Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee has produced a report backing the controversial Highlands pylon scheme. The proposal will see 600 giant pylons in a line down the Highlands from Beauly to Denny. MSPs on the influential committee say that the powerline should be given the go-ahead as part of Scotland’s committment to reducing climate change. The powerline will replace the current system of electricity transmission from the Highlands to the central belt. Almost 20,000 people opposed the plan during Scotland’s biggest public inquiry.

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) was one such opposing voice which gave detailed evidence to the inquiry. Responding to the Committee’s report, Chris Townsend, MCofS President said that the evidence presented had been ignored.

Speaking about the report, Chris Townsend said, “The Beauly-Denny power line would damage some of Scotland’s most important and beautiful mountain landscapes, including a section of the Cairngorms National Park. The natural environment should not be sacrificed for energy transmission. The Committee has not considered alternatives to the Beauly-Denny power line and assumes it is the only means of bringing power south, which is simply untrue.”

“The power line is not needed as subsea cables can achieve the same end. The Committee cites Scottish and Southern Energy’s view, which is that ‘in order to accommodate future volumes of renewables, we need to consider subsea cabling for transfer of power for export and to link in with the European Grid directly from Scotland’. If it’s good enough for export, why isn’t it good enough for our own requirements?”

“We urge ministers to consider all the evidence and alternatives presented to the Inquiry, and the massive number of objections, which clearly demonstrate the extent of public opinion against the power line proposal”.

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