SSE accused of discrimination against Western Isles 26/10/14
► Developer pulls out of £200 million windfarm
► Comhairle calls on UK Government to build energy cable
Frustration at the lack of a subsea cable to allow the Western Isles become a major exporter of renewable energy has prompted renewed calls for top level intervention.
Western Isles Council wants the Scottish and UK governments to cut through the red tape which has blocked the installation on an interconnector.
Council leader Angus Campbell has urged First Minister Aex Salmond and Prime Minister David Cameron to help guarantee a grid link across the Minch.
Four years on from making a similar plea, nothing has been achieved on the ground.
Vital jobs and a massive economic boost are at risk as £2 billion worth of wind and wave energy schemes are stalled, says Mr Campbell.
“Delay, obfuscation and a lack of transparency,” by grid operator SSE, cumulating
in the failure to install an interconnector between Lewis and the mainland grid,
has seen three developers walking away from investing in on-
In addition, Mr Campbell believes grid operator SSE may be unlawfully discriminating against the Western Isles.
He points to European rules which stipulate fair charges for exporting electricity from island areas and the requirement to ensure “distribution fees does not discriminate against” island regions.
Mr Campbell has made it clear to EC energy director, Dominique Ristori, that he firmly believes SSE’s “rigidly cost reflective approach” may fall foul of the rules.
One sore point over grid charges is the way south of England generating firms get paid a generous £9 / kW subsidy while the same scheme in the Highlands and Islands have to fork out £22/kw.
It means a 50 MW wind farm in the islands would pay over £1 million to link into the grid while a similar English development would be subsidised by about £450,000.
Recently, GDF Suez said the lack of guarantee over a grid connection drove their decision to pull out of its proposed £200 million wind farm at Eishken.
Mr Campbell said: “Without a grid connection between the islands and the UK National Grid, the best ocean energy resource area in Europe will be lost.”
He said the emerging industry and its economic and community benefits would relocate to East Coast USA or to South America.
He added: “In short, we need grid connection now in order to unlock this massive clean energy resource and to retain, in Europe, essential innovative technology with global application.”
► Developer pulls out of £200 million windfarm
► Comhairle calls on UK Government to build energy cable