On news that households living near mega-pylons could save money on energy bills, Borders MP John Lamont said: "This is not about the money for the local residents who will be affected by these mega pylons. They are concerned about the impact these pylons and related electricity infrastructure projects will have on our environment, landscapes and natural habitats.
“The prospect of lower energy bills might seem encouraging to some but there is so little detail about what is being proposed it is almost impossible to know if they will even benefit from this scheme.
"We need more clarity to determine if these savings are genuine or a con trick using political spin. Crucially, we need to know if bills will be lower than they are now or if these so-called savings will simply mean that as energy costs rise, they will be brought back down to their current levels. If it's the latter, this isn't even much of a saving.
"The eligibility criteria for this scheme will also be important, since the main substation near Lauder is only close to a handful of properties but the mega-pylons would impact thousands more homes.
"We should be substantially changing the route of the pylons or putting more of the cabling underground rather than scarring the countryside with mega-pylons. Financial compensation won't protect habitats, landscapes and communities affected by giant infrastructure projects."
