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Stornoway, Lewis

Go-ahead for wind farms’ network link      6/1/10

The controversial Beauly-Denny link in the power line network - vital to export energy from giant wind farms on Lewis - has been given the go-ahead.

The line of 65 metre high pylons between the Highlands and the central belt of Scotland would carry vast quantities of renewable electricity from Lewis to be carried to southern markets.

Proposed windfarms at Pairc - planned by SSE - and at Eishken will  feed into the system via a huge convertor station at Gravir, South Lochs, through twin sub-sea cables running under the Minch to landfall near Ullapool.

A feeder line of pylons would then take the energy onto today’s approved Beauly to Denny power line.

Energy Minister Jim Mather told Parliament of his decision today.

He said: "Developing our onshore and offshore grid connections is crucial to connecting, transporting and exporting Scotland's renewable energy to the UK and Europe.

“There are over 50 potential projects totalling around 4.2 Gigawatts (GW) in the north of Scotland, two thirds of peak Scottish demand.

“That energy will further secure our supply while allowing us to continue to export the surplus.

"The Beauly-Denny upgrade will help unlock Scotland's onshore and offshore energy potential and this consent recognises the wider context, benefits and challenges of a development of this scale and opportunity."