Power watchdog Ofgem’s approval of SSEN electricity network upgrade for Argyll and Bute is a “significant blow” to No More Pylons (Dalmally) campaigners.
The announcement that Ofgem has conditionally approved the final needs case for a £600 million project to boost the capacity of the electricity transmission network across the region came at the end of October.
A spokesperson for the campaign group, who fundraised to assemble a team of professional advisors and local witnesses to challenge SSEN’s proposals through a formal Local Planning Inquiry process in June 2023, said: “We are clearly disappointed that this decision has been made in advance of the outcome of the recent local public inquiry into SSEN’s proposed new 275Kv OHL between Creag Dhubh and Dalmally, which is a key element of this project.
“The move is a highly unusual one. Ofgem do not normally consider Final Needs Cases until all the relevant planning consents are in place. It is our understanding that the approval will still be subject to all elements of the project receiving planning consent. It does, however, create a worrying precedent that a global company and the UK regulator can agree to spend our money on a scheme that has still to receive full scrutiny of its planning and environmental impacts by the Scottish Planning system and Scottish Ministers.”
No More Pylons (Dalmally) has now warned other locations objecting similar proposals to be on their guard.
“Other communities who are fighting similar proposals across the length and breadth of Scotland need to take note,” said the campaign’s spokesperson.
According to the campaign group, the cost of this project to consumers has almost doubled to £600m – an increase since initial estimates of some £249m.
They say the case for the need for this investment is based on figures for likely additional renewable generation from onshore wind/ pumped storage and that a
figure of some 4058MWs is presented although evidence at the recent inquiry in Dalmally found that just 380MWs of that is currently under construction.
“The rest is highly speculative and dependant on some additional 3678 MWs of generation across Argyll and Bute gaining planning consent.
“We understand that Ofgem also received reports from SSEN on the potential socio-
economic and environmental benefits of this project. These reports are not publicly
available and so as local stakeholders we are not able to comment on them.
“All we know is that, as presented in our evidence to the local public inquiry, it will have a significant impact on our environment, local economy and the future sustainability of our community.
“We now rely on Scottish Ministers to protect our interests,” said the spokesperson.
The campaign was mounted when SSEN applied for planning permission to build 13.3 km of overhead line supported by 48 new pylons across landscape from Cladich to Dalmally.
There are already 29 pylons in Dalmally running through the centre of the
village.
Campaigners are concerned the new power line would across farmland, impacting historical, recreational and cultural sites and destroy sections of ancient woodland.
SSEN argues that the line is necessary to transmit surplus renewable energy to the rest of Scotland and on to the wider UK, and while No More Pylons supports the development of renewable energy and the race to reach net zero, it says this should not come at the cost of the future sustainability of communities that depend on their landscape for economic and social wellbeing.
The community and its supporting team also believe that there are viable alternative routes.