Joan McAlpine MSP has welcomed the announcement that Scottish Power Energy Networks are rethinking their pylon scheme across Dumfries and Galloway.
Ms McAlpine who has been supporting constituents affected by the scheme, said SPEN’s decision to carry out more work with The National Grid to determine whether to the transmission upgrade was necessary made sense.
The announcement of further research with National Grid came as SPEN published the results of its consultation – the deadline of the consultation was extended by 5 weeks last year after Ms McAlpine’s intervention.
The South of Scotland MSP said:
“This is welcome news and testament to the efforts of constituents who picked apart the justification for an overhead line of this size routed through virgin countryside. In my consultation submission on behalf of constituents I asked this question – I am pleased that SPEN and National Grid are taking it on board.”
The SPEN consultation report summarises the feedback received on the proposal and was published at 10am today.
Ms McAlpine said: “I will take time to read the report. But my initial response to SPEN’s announcement is that it is welcome and seems to recognise the arguments of campaigners that a line of this size may not actually be justified. I will continue to act on behalf of my constituents and have secured a meeting between campaigners and the UK energy regulator which will take place very soon.”
