Power feels pinch

Brian Wilson (“Scottish Power cannot go it alone”, 8 November) asks “what is the case for the Beauly to Denny line unless there is a guaranteed market for renewable power in the rest of Britain?”

It has been argued that the line had to be constructed to avoid constraint payments, such a subsidy being payable when a section of the grid system is unable to absorb all the electricity being generated and some generators are asked to stand down.

The weakness of this argument was that many wind farms would be and indeed are being constrained off because of the pinchpoints between Scotland and England south of Denny – for instance, Crystal Rig in the Lammermuir Hills.

This issue must surely be relevant in relation to the recent debate about Scottish wind-generated electricity being exported to England and I cannot but wonder if the Westminster and Holyrood energy policies are not a complete shambles.

It is surely time for some form of authoritative and independent inquiry into the politicians’ strategy and objectives.

John Milne

Ardgowan Drive

Uddingston