The Scottish Government has been warned it is overseeing “hundreds of kilometres of monster pylons” across the countryside by ruling out new nuclear power.

SNP ministers have been accused of ignoring public concerns over “monster pylons” as the Scottish Government doubled down on its opposition to nuclear power.

The Scottish Government has held a long-standing opposition to nuclear power plants being built north of the Border, including emerging small modular reactors, which the Labour UK government is poised to push forward in the coming years.

Both the SNP and Labour are determined to despoil wonderful landscapes with a lattice of giant wind turbines, pylons and power lines, says Sue Webber

SNP acting net zero and energy secretary Gillian Martin told MSPs the Scottish Government would continue to prioritise the “exceptional opportunity” posed by renewable energy such as wind and tidal power.

She said: “We do not support the building of any new nuclear power stations in Scotland. Instead, our focus must be on accelerating the deployment of renewable technologies.

“Simply, renewables are safer, cheaper, faster to deploy and better for jobs than nuclear.”

Ms Martin pointed to a “legacy of radioactive waste”.

Torness nuclear power station in East Lothian | Getty

She said: “It is that particular issue as well as the cost of it that is our opposition to it.”

Scottish Conservative net zero and energy spokesperson, Douglas Lumsden, claimed “energy based on solar and wind is not reliable all year round”, pointing to small nuclear modular reactors as a solution.

He said: “Scotland could be at the forefront of this technology, leading the way - but again this Government insists on holding us back on false science and scaremongering.

“Their only plan is to put all their eggs in one basket, have as much wind energy as possible miles away from where the demand is and cover our countryside in monster pylons, substations and batteries - and ignore the concerns of our residents.”

Conservative MSP Douglas Lumsden has submitted nearly 1,000 questions, at a cost of about £100,000, on subjects including the provenance of beeswax used for the Great Seal of Scotland | supplied

Mr Lumsden said residents were concerned about “dealing with the reality of hundreds of kilometres of monster pylons” in rural parts of Scotland.

Energy experts have said that across the UK, up to 370,000 miles of new power cables and thousands of extra electricity pylons will be required by 2050.

Sir Keir Starmer is shaking up planning rules in England to fast-track renewable energy developments south of the Border, with the Prime Minster pledging to end a "challenge culture by taking on the Nimbys”.

It is unlikely any new nuclear power will contribute to the 2030 target, due to hold-ups with the Hinkley Point C development. UK government projections forecast that nuclear capacity across Britain will fall from the current 5.9GW to around 4GW by 2030.

Mr Lumsden said: “They are concerned about prime agricultural land being taken away, covered in concrete for substations or bases for monster pylons.

“They want to know why the Scottish Government are content with blocking new nuclear using planning powers, but won’t use the same planning powers to stop the desecration of our countryside.”

Mr Lumsden warned Scotland required “a credible mix of sources” instead of “closing doors to viable options” based on “left wing ideologies”.

SNP MSP Kevin Stewart pressed Mr Lumsden over “how the electricity flows from the proposed nuclear power stations that he wants to see to people’s homes across the country”, pointing out “pylons play a part in the movement of electricity”.

But in response, the Tory MSP insisted “you actually build nuclear power stations closest to where the demand is”, claiming that would “negate all the need for pylons”.

SNP warned over 'hundreds of kilometres of monster pylons' across Scottish countryside

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