LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Anger as cable meeting cancelled 

Angry Shetlanders found themselves turned away from a public exhibition showing the impact an interconnector power cable would have on the islands, after the project manager behind the plans was stuck in Aberdeen by bad weather.

Many people turned out in the freezing cold to attend the exhibition set up by Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd (SHETL) at Whiteness and Weisdale hall yesterday afternoon (Monday).

However when the first cars pulled up at the hall at 3pm they found a notice telling them it had been postponed until 5pm, and when they returned two hours later they found a sign saying the meeting had been cancelled altogether.

SHETL has promised to go ahead with the second exhibition at the NAFC Marine Centre, in Scalloway, today, but islanders have called on yesterday’s session to be re-arranged.

This week’s meetings were set up earlier this month after SHETL announced they had decided to land the 200 mile interconnector cable, which they hope will export electricity from a 554 megawatt wind farm, at Weisdale Voe.

The exhibitions were designed to show the public what the company had in mind, explain the environmental impact and hear people’s concerns about the cable and the huge convertor station they wish to build in the upper Kergord valley.

However SHETL project manager Greg Taylor had to cancel after he became stuck at Aberdeen airport due to the snow showers and freezing winds at Sumburgh airport, in Shetland

Local resident James Mackenzie said when he turned up there were a lot of cars at the hall at 3pm, only to find a sign saying the meeting had been postponed until 5pm for “technical reasons”. Two hours later they returned to find out the meeting had been cancelled.

Mr Mackenzie was angry that there had been no public notices put out on the local radio or news websites.

“They could have put some warning out instead of some people making two journeys. Their public relations should have been better than that,” Mr Mackenzie said.

One woman, who did not wish to be named, added that she too would have appreciated a public notice. “It would have saved people a journey in the horrendous weather. It was bitterly cold with quite heavy snow showers. There really is no excuse,” she said.

Whiteness hall secretary Vivienne Tulloch said she had been contacted by Mr Taylor yesterday afternoon to say he was stuck in Aberdeen.

He had told her tomorrow’s meeting would go ahead between 3 and 7.30pm, but he would decide once he arrived whether to reschedule yesterday’s session.

Mr Mackenzie said it was imperative the company reorganise yesterday’s event. “Not everyone can make it Scalloway so they should reschedule it. Surely they have got the resources to do that.”

Mr Taylor finally landed in Shetland just before 7pm last night. He said that right up until the afternoon they had thought they would be able to make it to Whiteness hall, and the company had informed the local radio stations about the delay.

He added that the company would decide today whether there was any need to reschedule yesterday’s meeting.

By Hans J. Marter

The Shetland News

25 March 2008

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon