Plan to remove pylons from Loch Lomond moves forward

Energy regulator Ofgem has provisionally approved a project to remove electricity lines from the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park.SSEN Transmission plans to remove 7.5km of overhead lines and 25 transmission towers from the Loch Lomond landscape, with the electricity cables being put underground instead.SSEN Transmission said that Visual Impact of Scottish Transmission Assets (Vista) project combines the technical skills of its engineers with the expertise of external stakeholders who have extensive knowledge of the Scottish landscape. This collaboration has been central to the development of the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs Vista project, said SSEN.The project is being taken forward and funded as part of a £500m fund, administered by Ofgem, for GB electricity transmission owners to mitigate the impact of existing electricity infrastructure in nationally designated landscapes.The final approval of the scheme is subject to the outcome of Ofgem’s consultation, open until 5th June 2020, as the regulator seeks further views and support from stakeholders before making a final decision on whether to approve funding for the plans.SSEN secured approval last year for the burial of cables in the Cairngorms.