Residents who live near new pylons will be given up to £250 off their annual bills, under plans announced today.
The UK Government promise applies to residents within 500 metres of new structures including the huge new upgrade across Aberdeenshire.
Energy group SSEN is behind the upgrade which includes a 70-mile line between Kintore in Aberdeenshire and the village of Tealing, by Dundee.
Campaigner Kate Matthews, from Auchenblae, said the offer fails to grasp the bigger problems for communities in the path of new pylons – some of which could be 246ft (75 metres) tall.
The Save Our Mearns campaigner said: “This offer mocks residents facing financial ruin if the pylons go ahead and shows Labour’s complete failure to grasp the complex socio-economic issues facing communities and businesses impacted by the proposed infrastructure.”
The government says that stretch alone could generate community funds worth more than £23 million.
The line aims to carry power from wind farms off the north coast and is part of Labour’s plan to decarbonise electricity by 2030.
On Monday morning, the government announced the discount plan would be ready by next year.
It would apply to new onshore, above-ground transmission cables and substations, as well as some major upgrades.
Developers will also be urged to fund projects like sports clubs, educational programmes or leisure facilities as part of efforts to reward communities that host new infrastructure.
Ian Murray, the Scottish Secretary in the UK Government, said Scotland is at the heart of plans for a clean energy future.
“Through our Plan for Change we are working to deliver benefits to those communities who live close to energy grid infrastructure,” he said.
“For some Scottish families this could be up to £250 per year off their energy bills.”
UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “The only way to make Britain energy secure and bring down bills for good is to get Britain off dependence on fossil fuel markets and replace it with clean, homegrown power that we control.”
North East Tory MSP, Douglas Lumsden, said the discount is “insulting”.
He added: “A feeble discount of up to £250 each year is a drop in the ocean when it comes to living next to these towering power lines.”
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