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| Minister facing pylon questions | |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| Scottish Energy Minister Jim Mather is being questioned by MSPs over concerns with the Beauly to Denny power line project. | |
| Ministers approved the controversial plans for a line of giant pylons from the Highlands to central Scotland to boost the renewable energy industry. | Ministers approved the controversial plans for a line of giant pylons from the Highlands to central Scotland to boost the renewable energy industry. |
| Mr Mather appeared before Holyrood's energy committee after concerns that key questions have gone unanswered. | |
| These include the timescale and extra planning measures for the project. | These include the timescale and extra planning measures for the project. |
| The 137-mile line will see a network of 600 pylons, some more than 200ft in height, upgrading and replacing the existing power line, which runs to more than 800 pylons. | The 137-mile line will see a network of 600 pylons, some more than 200ft in height, upgrading and replacing the existing power line, which runs to more than 800 pylons. |
| The Scottish government said the development would connect renewable power projects to the national grid and unlock Scotland's potential to become a major green energy powerhouse. | The Scottish government said the development would connect renewable power projects to the national grid and unlock Scotland's potential to become a major green energy powerhouse. |
| There are a number of issues which require further discussion Iain SmithEnergy committee convener | There are a number of issues which require further discussion Iain SmithEnergy committee convener |
| Mr Mather gave the go-ahead to the upgraded line in a statement to parliament a week ago, but opposition parties complained of a lack of detail on the planning conditions which would be attached to the project and said there was no precise timescale for the project to get under way. | Mr Mather gave the go-ahead to the upgraded line in a statement to parliament a week ago, but opposition parties complained of a lack of detail on the planning conditions which would be attached to the project and said there was no precise timescale for the project to get under way. |
| Concerns have also been raised over whether calls for an underground power line from some of the 18,000 objectors to the pylons were properly considered. | Concerns have also been raised over whether calls for an underground power line from some of the 18,000 objectors to the pylons were properly considered. |
| Energy committee convener, Lib Dem MSP Iain Smith, said: "The upgrading work will help Scotland's renewable energy sector to grow and to flourish. | Energy committee convener, Lib Dem MSP Iain Smith, said: "The upgrading work will help Scotland's renewable energy sector to grow and to flourish. |
| "However there are a number of issues which require further discussion such as whether sections of the power line will go underground, and whether further planning or statutory consents for the project are likely to be required." | "However there are a number of issues which require further discussion such as whether sections of the power line will go underground, and whether further planning or statutory consents for the project are likely to be required." |
| The Scottish government has maintained the new Beauly to Denny line, described as the most significant grid infrastructure project in a generation, was on track. | The Scottish government has maintained the new Beauly to Denny line, described as the most significant grid infrastructure project in a generation, was on track. |