Planned £400m Skye power line upgrade moves forward

The new line could be buried underground where it passes Skye's famous Cuillin mountains

Energy regulator Ofgem has agreed to the need for a £400m upgrade of a west Highlands power line.

SSEN Transmission has proposed replacing the 99-mile (160km) line between Fort Augustus and Skye.

The company has previously said it was looking at potentially burying the new line underground where it passes Skye's famous Cuillin Hills.

Ofgem has made an initial assessment of the revamp - the first major improvement since the 1950s.

SSEN Transmission is working on a detailed design and expects to submit a planning application to the Scottish government next year.

It said the line, constructed in three sections between 1956 and 1989, was "fast reaching" the end of its operational life.

The firm said an upgrade was needed to better serve businesses and local communities and increase the line's capacity to handle power generated by renewable energy projects.

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It said steel electricity towers would be required from Fort Augustus to Edinbane on Skye but wooden poles would carry the line from Edinbane to Ardmore.

The revamp would include upgrades to substations at Broadford and Edinbane.

SSEN Transmission said it would assess the potential for undergrounding the line as it passes the Cuillins and where it connects to Fort Augustus substation.