Letter: Energy options

We welcome the indication from energy minister Jim Mather that final approval of the controversial Beauly-Denny power line is unlikely without the agreement of Stirling Council on mitigation measures (your report, 9 March). Undergrounding near Stirling now looks inevitable.

But this raises the fundamental question of whether planning and financial approval for the whole power line should now be withdrawn.

This line, with its accompanying swathe of wind farms down the western side of the Cairngorms National Park, will cost billions - most of it loaded onto our already inflated electricity bills and then into the pockets of the directors and shareholders of the multinational energy companies.

Meanwhile, Scottish Natural Heritage churns out reports to demonstrate how we are squandering our greatest asset, our natural beauty, as well as our greatest industry, tourism, while these wind farms march relentlessly through Europe's finest tract of wild land.

Over at VisitScotland they improve the posters by airbrushing the pylons from behind Kilchurn Castle. Should we really be fooling prospective visitors into thinking that we still have wonderful, unspoilt scenery and pretending the industrial pylons and turbines are not really there? For all who seek election to the Scottish Parliament in a few weeks, Beauly-Denny is the crucial test of their commitment to sound energy, environmental and economic policy.

Are our candidates for people and communities and our beautiful wild places or is their number one priority to touch their forelocks to the energy companies?

Ask them where they stand on Beauly-Denny and you will have your answer. Tell them there are alternatives: extra cables on existing east coast pylons, subsea transmission and offshore tidal, wave and wind development, a better place to spend Scotland's money than Beauly Denny.

Dave Morris

Ramblers Scotland

Auld Mart Business Park

Milnathort, Kinross