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Angus Campbell - Hebrides News

 

Western Isles Council proposes to sell cheaper electricity to islanders. The authority wants to undercut the big energy conglomerates and offer islanders competitive prices if approved by the EC.

It hopes the knock-on effect of favourable power charges for islanders will create jobs and stimulate enterprise in the local economy.

The Comhairle is drawing up plans to establish its own trading and electricity supply company after the UK Government lifted a ban on local authorities selling renewable energy to the national grid.  

Western Isles council want to grasp the opportunity and invest in commercial windfarms being built in the Hebrides. It would seek a licence from energy regulator Ofgem to sell the electricity created locally.  

Council leader Angus Campbell stressed the initiative would benefit the local community.

He said: “Up until last year local authorities were not allowed to buy or sell electricity.

“We can now set up a company to trade electricity and we are very keen to do that.

“We are looking at how we could physically do this - what we need to take advantage of taking considerable ownership over electricity coming out of these islands.”

The council isn’t actively considering building its own windfarm but is proposing “buying shares in some of the larger projects which are underway at the moment.”

Mr campbell added: “If it comes to fruition, we are looking at achieving a 20% local ownership of the Stornoway wind farm along with the (community-owned estate) Stornoway Trust.

Mr Campbell highlighted: “You could also see a mechanism where local wind farms could actually come part of that process (where) we could actually sell that back into the grid to the people who live on the islands.”

Hebridean generated electricity would then be sold to “consumers and local business right across the Outer Hebrides.

“By having our own company we would have the advantage of being able to look at the rates we would charge and see if we can give an advantageous rate to islanders. This is what we want to explore to see how we can do it.”

Mr Campbell pointed out that vital economic boost desperately needed to revitalise the Hebrides all hinged on getting the delayed go-ahead for a £450 million sub-sea cable to export island energy across the Minch to southern markets.

Another issue was achieving fair transmission charges on the interconnector - under the present system the Western Isles would be heavily penalised while a generator near London would be subsidised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheaper power to the people                               10/2/12