Pylons tumble as sparks in the park herald new era for Scotland’s grid

WORK has finally started to remove a chain of electricity pylons in the Cairngorm National Park prior to the start of construction work on the controversial Beauly-to-Denny power line.

The first phase of the work in Britain’s largest national park involves the complete removal of 33 miles of overhead transmission lines between Boat of Garten and Cairnmore.

Other parts of the line in the Highlands will be replaced by underground cables, while other stretches will be replaced with overhead lines supported by wooden poles. The removal of the steel pylons will allow construction work to begin on the long-awaited upgrade of 137-mile line between the Highlands and central Scotland.

Pylons on other parts of the route are to be replaced with new ones between 42m and 65m tall.

The go-ahead was finally given for the project last January after the longest planning inquiry held in Scotland.

Fergus Ewing, the energy minister, yesterday travelled to Boat of Garten to watch crews from SSE as they felled the first of the pylons in the heart of the national park.

Mr Ewing said: “The Beauly-to-Denny upgrade is the most significant grid infrastructure project in a generation. Scotland’s electricity network needs significant reinforcement to allow our vast renewables potential to be harnessed, transmitted and exported – currently, we simply do not have the transmission capacity to carry the green energy which Scotland will generate over the coming years.

“The upgrade will also improve the landscape in areas such as this one, the beautiful Cairngorms National Park, as old pylons are removed and replaced in a way designed to minimise the impact on the views around them.”

He added: “I’m delighted to have seen the first pylon felled as part of that process on the Boat of Garten to Tarland stretch of line, and the huge impact it has on this stunning landscape.”

Ian Funnell, SSE’s director of transmission, said: “The upgrade of the network in the north of Scotland is vital to facilitate the growth of renewable generation.”

He added: “We have worked closely with the local communities, landowners and the Cairngorms National Park Authority and are pleased with the response we’ve had on the removal of the towers and the regeneration that will take place in areas such as Abernethy Forest.”

A spokesman for SSE explained that, under the plan, 33 miles of lines between Boat of Garten and Cairnmore would be removed completely, while another 25-mile stretch of the line between Etteridge and Boat of Garten would be removed and replaced with 33-kilovolt overhead lines, supported by wooden poles or underground cables. Within the central area of the Cairngorms National Park, 80 miles of existing transmission line will be removed and 17 miles of new line installed, running close to the western boundary of the park.

The spokesman added: “The towers will be dismantled bit by bit and then felled. Once dismantled, the towers and conductors will be sent for recycling. The removal of the towers through the Cairngorms National Park area will continue until late 2012.”

Most of the Beauly-to-Denny line is being built by SSE, with ScottishPower constructing a 12-mile stretch from Denny northwards, taking in most of Stirlingshire. ScottishPower has rejected calls to bury its section of the line, revealing it would cost £278 million. The overall cost of the line has been estimated at between £300m and £600m.