Engineers constructing a major power line have reached a milestone, with half of the controversial project now complete.
A total of 267 pylons on the 137-mile Beauly to Denny line have now been erected, according to the company carrying out the bulk of the work.
The line was given the go-ahead by the Scottish Government, despite strong objections from countryside campaigners, who said the project would destroy some of Scotland’s most scenic areas and damage tourism.
Construction is being carried out by SSE, with Scottish Power building a 12-mile stretch from Denny northwards, taking in most of Stirlingshire.
Engineers are said to have been working flat out to complete as many pylons as possible before the start of winter, with the 700-strong team on track to complete the SSE part of the line by 2015.
Niall Stewart, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said the new power line is “key to delivering Scotland’s renewable electricity targets and essential to connect wind, wave and tidal projects in the north of the country to the grid.
“Quite simply, there can be no wave or tidal industry in Scotland without it, so it is great to see SSE’s section on track to be finished in 2015, by when Scotland will be generating more than half of its electricity needs through renewables.”