The Conservatives have accused the Scottish Government of having no strategy to “keep the lights on” after the closure of Scotland’s biggest electricity-generating stations.
The party’s energy spokesman Murdo Fraser attacked the SNP administration for putting “all its eggs” in the basket of “intermittent” wind power.
Mr Fraser used a Tory debate at Holyrood to call on the Government to consider a new gas-powered generator at the site of the troubled Longannet power station in Fife.
Last year it emerged that the station may be forced to close due to what the operator Scottish Power described as “disproportionately high” transmission charges to connect to the main grid network.
Scottish generators, including Longannet, account for around 12% of the capacity connected to Britain’s high-voltage electricity network but pay around 35% of the charges, according to the Scottish Government.
Mr Fraser, who represents Mid Scotland and Fife, said high transmission costs were “a serious issue” but were only part of a problem.
He said: “New EU emissions rules and the introduction of carbon pricing mean that the future of Longannet after 2020 is, at best, very uncertain.
“Resolving the transmission charging issue is likely to buy, at best, a stay of execution.
“Scotland’s three biggest generating stations today are Longannet, Torness and Hunterston, the last two being of course nuclear-powered and both of them scheduled to close by 2025.
“Between the three they currently produce 55% of Scotland’s electricity.
“The Scottish Conservatives believe that renewable energy has a part to play as a component in the energy mix but we do not share the Scottish Government’s single minded-obsession with renewable energy, particularly wind power, to the exclusion of all other technologies.
“What we have is the Scottish Government putting all its eggs in the basket of intermittent wind power, it has slammed the door shut on fracking and the potential for unconventional gas and it refuses to consent to any new nuclear plants.
“So, within a decade we’re going to lose 55% of our electricity-generating capacity and there is simply no strategy from the SNP Government as to how we’re going to keep the lights on after 2025.”
Mr Fraser called on energy minister Fergus Ewing to make a clear statement on energy strategy for the next decade, accusing the Scottish Government of “making common cause with the anti- everything brigade”.
He said: “There are no concrete proposals brought forward to replace either our existing nuclear capacity or conventional generation.
“While the SNP may not like nuclear power, the fact is this is a low carbon green energy which we’re going to need if we want to meet our climate change targets and keep the lights on at the same time.”
Mr Fraser said Scotland needed at least one new gas-powered generator station, and probably more if Torness and Hunterston are not replaced with new nuclear capacity.
He said Longannet had the infrastructure, skills and workforce to support such a new station.
“If Longannet the existing station is having to close, and sadly that looks inevitable whatever happens to transmission charging, then let’s see a replacement in that corner of Fife,” he said.
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