Highland councillors raise fuel poverty concerns with UK government minister
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Shocking levels of fuel poverty in the Highlands have prompted Highland Council to demand action to deliver a fair electricity distribution system.
By some counts, as many as 70 to 90 per cent of people in parts of the region are unable to heat their homes properly due to the cost of electricity.
This is despite the huge levels of generation across the region, from hydro to wind farms.
Anger has been mounting that power that is produced in the Highlands is exported south, only to be re-routed north again and charged at a higher price – leaving residents of one of the coldest parts of the UK unable to heat their homes.
Culloden and Ardersier councillor Trish Robertson and Sutherland member Richard Gale brought forward an amendment to a full meeting of the council, which received unanimous cross-party support.
It called on the council to recognise its own poverty and inequality data that shows large areas of the region have more than 70 per cent of households living in fuel poverty, while Citizens Advice Bureau statistics indicate it is as high as 90 per cent in some places.
The local authority committed to writing to energy minister Kwasi Kwarteng to back a cross-party Early Day Motion to: “Replace the current electricity distribution system with one that replicates that of gas and telecoms and share the cost of energy distribution equally across the UK.”
Caithness councillor Struan Mackie said: “Energy policy across the UK is broken and the regional distribution charges debated at the meeting are clearly creating a gross unfairness for those living closest to renewable energy production.
“It is an utterly unacceptable and untenable position that local residents pay more for electricity generated locally than those in our urban centres, where it is exported for consumption.
“While some of my constituents tell me that they are choosing whether to heat their homes or eat, wind farms are paid millions not to generate electricity. The grid is hopelessly out of balance and significant infrastructure spend must be focused in this area.
“I fully support efforts to replace the distribution system with something fit for purpose but addressing the unfairness in regional distribution will not offer an instant silver bullet for those in fuel poverty.
“We need a radical rethink, and the Highland region can lead the way.”
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