Latest news with #SPEN
The Herald Scotland
12 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish countryside brutalised: this is too high a price to pay
It was worth it. Nowhere we visited while I was a child was as enchanting as this secluded valley, with its views over dumpy hills and billowy woods, and a river alive with fish. Even today, half a century later, the place remains otherworldly in its sense of isolation and tranquillity. The only disturbance comes from occasional RAF fighter jets screaming up the valley on practice runs, whose ear-splitting roar serves to emphasise the exceptional quiet at all other times. Soon, however, everything is to change. A place with a claim to be one of the loveliest spots in Scotland, rich in wildlife and history yet all but overlooked, will in a short time be irrevocably blighted. If Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) gets its way, a line of pylons as tall as the Scott Monument will march across the fields and hills, carrying electricity cables to a substation near Carlisle. Visitors to the Yarrow valley, drawn by the sense of timeless peacefulness and its unrivalled landscape, will be confronted instead with a line of incongruous giant iron towers. Just writing those words makes me sad. When, last year, SPEN announced the next section of its Cross Border Connection, linking the borders to the national grid, it planned to run its pylons close to the villages of Roberton and Ettrickbridge: an exquisite area, as is almost all of the countryside in these parts. However, such was the public outcry that, after listening to the public's concerns and adjusting its proposals accordingly, SPEN decided instead to reroute the line across the Yarrow valley, by Yarrow Feus. Locals had only a month in which to lodge their complaints, and while there was universal outcry from people in the district, because so few folk live here the protesters have little clout. Even though the John Muir Trust has objected, as has the Ministry of Defence (because of the route of its low-flying jets), at the time of writing it seems almost inevitable that, without government intervention, a region of unparallelled natural beauty will be ruined. Read more If Trump has taught us one thing, it is that Scotland needs more mega-wealthy people 'Compelling' - Forgotten Scottish Booker Prize contender republished after 60 years The man who brought Scotland's beavers back: 10 books to read next Action Against Pylons: Scottish Borders Alliance is a group representing 10 communities, including those who have seemingly just had a narrow escape. As group member Rosi Lister acknowledges, now the risk to Ettrickbridge and Roberton has been averted, 'It's all very well revising the route, but as soon as you move it from one place you affect another community.… There are no winners with these pylons.' It's not just 50-60metre pylons that are the issue; there will also be battery storage sites and electricity sub-stations, all to be built on untouched countryside. To make matters worse, if that were possible, all the energy distributed will be sent to England. Defending the proposed 57-mile line, which will run from Lauder to south of Newcastleton, SPEN says that, since Scotland has benefited in the past from nuclear and hydro energy supplied from England and Wales, 'it's now our turn to send renewable energy the other way.' That's a hard claim to swallow given the scale of destruction this route will create. For a start, cables in many English beauty spots, such as the Peak and Lake Districts and scenic parts of Yorkshire, have been buried underground. Nevertheless, SPEN says that laying underground cables is six to nine times more pricey than overhead lines and putting the Cross Border Connection underground won't happen 'unless justification can be provided for localised sections.' Does environmental vandalism count as sufficient justification? And who is the arbiter of what would justify such a decision and the attendant cost? Who has the louder voices: those at Holyrood running the department for the environment, the Spanish owners and shareholders of SPEN, Ofgen, with its insistence the project be as cost-efficient as possible, or the few disenfranchised villagers who must live with the consequences of these brutalising schemes? Nobody with a brain cell can deny the need urgently to reach net zero, but destroying pristine, priceless countryside in the name of energy efficiency is the opposite of environmentally friendly. Nor is this a problem unique to the borders; parts of the Highlands are devastated at proposals for super pylon power lines, stretching from Caithness to Peterhead through Beauly. In its rush to meet its net zero targets and benefit from our abundance of renewable energy, the Scottish government is in danger of destroying what makes Scotland special: its extraordinary wealth of natural beauty and acres of green space so empty they are an essential reminder that there is more to this world than the short-sighted and destructive projects of our own species. One thing's for sure: if this vandalism goes ahead through the borders as currently planned, overnight the SNP will lose the few voters it has in the area, including die-hard nationalists. For us this is as defacing and inappropriate and insulting a scheme as Flamingo Land at Balloch. Why should our countryside and our ecosystem be ruined by a supposedly green energy scheme, which will turn an idyll into an eyesore? Why should people on this side of Hadrian's Wall be made to suffer for a network being built for the benefit of our neighbour? So here's an idea. If England wants this energy supply then Westminster should foot the bill for putting these cables underground. It's the only way to maintain peace and harmony on this side of the border. Rosemary Goring is a columnist and author. Her most recent book is Homecoming: The Scottish Years of Mary, Queen of Scots. Its sequel, Exile: The Captive Years of Mary, Queen of Scots, is published next month.
Business News Wales
31-05-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
SP Energy Networks Contract Extensions Deliver £220M Distribution Investment
Leading distribution network operator, SP Energy Networks, is set to invest more than £220 million to help deliver the electricity grid and support the workforce of the future after it extended its overhead line contracts with key service partners. Six companies will continue to work with the business over the next four years to maintain and upgrade more than 20,000km of overhead lines across the network, helping SP Energy Networks (SPEN) deliver on the commitments in its Electricity Distribution (ED) 2 business plan, which covers the years 2023-2028, while getting ready for ED3. Securing these contracts gives a welcome boost to the overhead line supply chain and its in-demand resources. This will support more than 500 jobs – including 50-plus new linesmen jobs – across the country, with the companies based in and around SPEN's Scotland and Manweb licence areas, ensuring ready access to the technical skills and resources needed. The partner companies are: Scottish-based Aureos, Gaeltec and PLPC, which will support the six licence districts in central and southern Scotland (Ayrshire & Clyde South, Central & Fife, Dumfries & Galloway, Edinburgh & Borders, Glasgow & Clyde North, Lanarkshire). Emerald Power, IES and Network Plus – all based in the north-west of England – which will support the licence districts in Mid-Cheshire, Merseyside, Dee Valley and Mid Wales, Wirral and North Wales. Nicola Connelly, SPEN CEO, said: 'Ensuring we have the partners, resources and technical skills in place to deliver on our bold and ambitious plans for our network is vital for the modern and resilient grid needed to support the doubling of demand. 'These contracts not only support significant investment in our overhead line network, they allow us to build on the solid foundations created with our supply chain partners and give certainty and confidence to further invest in their skills and people. It's a win-win on both sides and we look forward to working together to make a long and lasting difference for all our communities – from Anstruther to Anglesey.' Iain Thomson, Head of Distribution at Aureos, said: 'This contract reflects the mutual respect and trust we have with SPEN and will help bring new resources into the industry. We have invested heavily in recruiting local trainees and will continue to upskill our existing staff while increasing trainee intakes to deliver on SPEN's investment programme – continuing to grow our business in Scotland.' Adrian Rowley, Head of Contracts for Emerald Power, said: 'This is an extremely significant milestone for Emerald Power and provides the opportunity to further invest in our business –recruiting, training and upskilling the resources needed to deliver for SPEN's customers. Sharing the modern apprenticeship course at Bangor's Coleg Menai with other service partners and SP Energy Networks is a key element of this and enables a fantastic opportunity for anyone across the communities we serve to have a very fulfilling and rewarding career working on the network.' Daniel Rodrigues, Managing Director, Gaeltec Utilities UK Ltd, said: 'We are delighted to have successfully extended our contract with SPEN for overhead line works in its Ayrshire and Lanarkshire districts. This is great news for both Gaeltec and our employees, giving certainty looking ahead and creating confidence to grow our investment in our business and our people. 'On the back of this, we are pleased to confirm our continued local recruitment of trainee linesmen, with the latest intake underway.' Conor O'Neill, Executive Director, IES Utilities Group, said: 'Following SPEN's announcement of the overhead line contract extensions, IES Utilities Group is pleased to continue playing a key role in supporting the delivery of critical network infrastructure. We welcome the opportunity to build on the strong foundations we have now in place. This extension is a testament to the collaborative efforts and shared commitment between SPEN and IES Utilities Group. We're proud to continue delivering high-quality overhead line solutions that help strengthen the resilience and reliability of the electricity network for communities across the Manweb region.' Dale Harrison Managing Director at PLPC said: 'PLPC are proud to extend our partnership with SPEN for a further four years. This contract demonstrates a significant commitment from SPEN to our industry and enables a long-term and collaborative approach to meeting the current skills gaps within the market. PLPC has worked continually for SPEN for over 50 years and we're well placed to further develop our local workforce, which will continue to deliver the critical infrastructure upgrades to the network as we progress towards net zero.' Dave Prescott, Network Plus Managing Director, said: 'This four-year contract extension is a fantastic achievement for Network Plus and a testament to the hard work of everybody who has worked on the overhead line contract with SPEN. We are a proud and long-standing overhead line partner of SPEN, with our relationship going back to 2018. We now look forward to four more years delivering excellence to SPEN customers and investing in the recruitment of locally-sourced overhead line apprentices and trainees as we continue to meet SPEN's increased network investment.'
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
In poor health, CBSE 12 student scores 88.6%
Navi Mumbai: Nerul's 18-year-old Vrriddhi Kabra from Delhi Public School has secured 88.6% in CBSE Class 12 (science) exams, despite facing health underwent a surgery for gallbladder stones removal in 2024. She has also been suffering recurring palpitations, breathing issues, and complications from a subtotal gastrectomy following a SPEN tumour operation in 2020. Her medical condition limited her school attendance, yet her teachers provided vital support in completing the curriculum. Vrriddhi scored 97 in both English and Biology, her favourite subjects. She aspires to pursue a medical career, with pharmacy as an alternative option if not MBBS. She said her performance could have matched her Class 10 score of 96% had her health been better. Beyond academics, Vrriddhi is a Bharatanatyam dancer with 7 years of training. "I am also good at drawing. Due to health reasons, I am not practising dance regularly," she said. — B B Nayak
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Can a re-routed cross-border pylons plan appease locals?
Energy network bosses hope that a revised route for taking energy to England will appease at least some rural residents of the Scottish Borders. Since plans for the Cross Border Connection were revealed last year protest groups have been formed in communities near the proposed pylons. Following the backlash, Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) have altered several sections of the 57-mile route between Lauder and the border, south of Newcastleton. But Rosi Lister from Action Against Pylons - a collection of local community protest groups - warned: "It's all very well revising the route, but as soon as you move it from one place you affect another community." SPEN project manager Ewan Borthwick said: "Historically we've had energy coming from the south - England and Wales - through nuclear and hydro, so it's now our turn to send renewable energy the other way." The Cross Border Connection is seen as a vital link in the UK upgrade of the national grid. Dozens of wind farms and solar energy parks - from the Highlands all the way down to the Borders - are already connected to the grid, with many more projects in the pipeline. Finding a suitable route for the 60-metre high pylons, between a proposed new electricity substation near Lauder and awaiting cables at the border near Carlisle, is proving problematic for SPEN. And bosses have ruled out an underground solution. Mr Borthwick added: "We know from previous projects that it is between six and nine times more expensive for an underground cable solution, rather than overhead. "Going underground would take this project from the hundreds of millions [of pounds] into the billions, and we have a licence from Ofgem to come up with the most cost-efficient solution. "It will be the electricity bill payers that will be paying for this over the next 50 years or so." The revised route has taken the planned pylons further away from the villages of Roberton and Etrrickbridge - but moved them closer to settlements at Craik and Yarrow Feus. There is also more use of areas already covered in forestry and the new route will have less impact on the World War II prisoner of war camp at Stobbs, outside Hawick. More stories from South Scotland Listen to news for the Scottish Borders on BBC Sounds SPEN's environmental planner Malrlene Marimbe said: "We reviewed all of the feedback from the public and statutory stakeholders during the consultation for the original route and modified the original preferred route. "We believe this alternative route is more balanced when it comes to the concerns we received about visual impact and also the attractiveness of the landscape. "We also took into account concerns about environmental impact as well as health impacts of proximity to residential properties." The latest consultation over the route will end on May 2, with the official proposed Cross Border Connection route being published later in the year. Around half a dozen community protest groups along the route have come together to form Action Against Pylons. Rosi Lister from the group said: "We believe this will destroy a large part of the Scottish Borders. "It's all very well revising the route, but as soon as you move it from one place you affect another community. "There are no winners with these pylons." Protesters to fight cross-border giant pylon plans
BBC News
07-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
A new route for a cross-border pylons plan - can it appease locals?
Energy network bosses hope that a revised route for taking energy to England will appease at least some rural residents of the Scottish plans for the Cross Border Connection were revealed last year protest groups have been formed in communities near the proposed the backlash, Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) have altered several sections of the 57-mile route between Lauder and the border, south of Rosi Lister from Action Against Pylons - a collection of local community protest groups - warned: "It's all very well revising the route, but as soon as you move it from one place you affect another community." SPEN project manager Ewan Borthwick said: "Historically we've had energy coming from the south - England and Wales - through nuclear and hydro, so it's now our turn to send renewable energy the other way." The Cross Border Connection is seen as a vital link in the UK upgrade of the national of wind farms and solar energy parks - from the Highlands all the way down to the Borders - are already connected to the grid, with many more projects in the a suitable route for the 60-metre high pylons, between a proposed new electricity substation near Lauder and awaiting cables at the border near Carlisle, is proving problematic for SPEN. And bosses have ruled out an underground Borthwick added: "We know from previous projects that it is between six and nine times more expensive for an underground cable solution, rather than overhead."Going underground would take this project from the hundreds of millions [of pounds] into the billions, and we have a licence from Ofgem to come up with the most cost-efficient solution."It will be the electricity bill payers that will be paying for this over the next 50 years or so." The revised route has taken the planned pylons further away from the villages of Roberton and Etrrickbridge - but moved them closer to settlements at Craik and Yarrow is also more use of areas already covered in forestry and the new route will have less impact on the World War II prisoner of war camp at Stobbs, outside Hawick. SPEN's environmental planner Malrlene Marimbe said: "We reviewed all of the feedback from the public and statutory stakeholders during the consultation for the original route and modified the original preferred route."We believe this alternative route is more balanced when it comes to the concerns we received about visual impact and also the attractiveness of the landscape."We also took into account concerns about environmental impact as well as health impacts of proximity to residential properties." The latest consultation over the route will end on May 2, with the official proposed Cross Border Connection route being published later in the half a dozen community protest groups along the route have come together to form Action Against Lister from the group said: "We believe this will destroy a large part of the Scottish Borders."It's all very well revising the route, but as soon as you move it from one place you affect another community."There are no winners with these pylons."
