Shetland windfarm - Viking Energy

[MuckleJoannie]

I am very very angry tonight. I live in the area affected and went to all Viking energy meetings and was also at the Bixter Hall when they tried to persuade us crofters how much money we were going to get if we would agree to this scheme. No Viking energy people there, no counsillers there, in fact no Shetlanders there except us who were going to be affected by it. There were lawyers from Edinburgh, Glasgow etc and South people representing birds, crofting etc . They all quoted figures of great profit which we argued was false knowing the area and local facts including the price of interconnector cable. It was a written exercise in the hope we would be dumb enough to believe what they said. I looked up the Edinburgh lawyers on internet before I went and they were known as the most crooked lawyers in Scotland, and one of their partners had been in prison for corruption which I let them know I knew.

 

I find it disgusting that other Shetland people can agree with this when it is going to affect our lives so much here. There are plenty of jobs around in Shetland at the moment . I know lots of employers trying to get workers and getting no replies as there is so much work in Sullom. I could never push for this for another area of Shetland or any other scheme that would be to the detriment of the area and the people living there.

 

be careful what you write you really don't want them coming after you for slander. shetlink won't shelter you. were was this meeting published never heard of it.

 

Was this the meeting?

 

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/5016-viking-outlines-crofters-compensation

 

The payments have been outlined at a series of meetings with crofters at public halls in Walls, North Nesting and Voe. A meeting is being held in Bixter on Thursday and the final session is in South Nesting on Friday.

[ArabiaTerra]

Why do you accuse me of slander. Maybe you should find out more about the things you write about from both sides before you judge people. All crofters in the area concerned were invited by letter to attend, which most of us duly did. Unless you were a crofter in the area you would not have been asked. I will not be replying again as I see that there is no use speaking the truth to people who do not want to hear it.

 

I didn't read paulb's post as an accusation. Rather, it sounded like a friendly warning to watch what you say about lawyers. They can get a little huffy when people accuse them of corruption and "I read it on a web site" isn't going to make much of a defence if they decide to take action.

[crofter]

I didn't read paulb's post as an accusation. Rather, it sounded like a friendly warning to watch what you say about lawyers. They can get a little huffy when people accuse them of corruption and "I read it on a web site" isn't going to make much of a defence if they decide to take action.

 

Although if this is true, there is nothing to worry about...

 

one of their partners had been in prison for corruption which I let them know I knew.

[Para Handy]

Who would have thought it

 

SHETLAND wind farm developer Viking Energy has admitted that their project might not be viable with the current subsidy and transmission charging system in place.

 

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/6787-viking-energy-not-viable-says-chairman

Some good news at last.

[Frances144]

Hurray!

[trowie246]

I seem to remember when it became clear that the interconnection charges were not being reduced Radio Shetland interviewing Aaron Priest who gave a very cautious response to questions but hinted at the time that Viking Energy may no longer be viable and said figures would have to be revised.

 

Then the next evening Bill Manson was interviewed about the same matter and stated that it changed nothing, the project had been costed out based on these charges, Viking Energy was viable.

 

I remember thinking at the time that they were more or less contradicting each other but I knew who I believed to be telling the truth at the time.

 

Looks like I was right.

[unlinkedstudent]

So basically, VE lied. Now we have a report and big wigs trying to convince us that it will still be brilliant if the costs associated with the interconnector, etc., are less. Ah, and all at the time that the Judicial Review has been adjourned again.

 

Even if the charges were less, lest not forget that Governments' policies change - they could go down with this Government and up with the next, plus whatever the EU decides to throw into the circle.

 

Lest not forget least all the LIES.

[crofter]

From 25 May 2012:

 

And this is the problem I have with anti-VE people - You don't listen. VE have stated that the assumed charges they used to make their financial projections were almost double what the actual charges under the new regime will be. So the charges have been reduced considerably, unless you don't consider 50% to be considerable?

 

Just to clarify something. The estimated/guaranteed income (20-whatever-million) will presumably now be getting revised upwards because transmission charges have been reduced? They were using a high figure in the projections, but now it is lower so the income will increase? Correct?

 

I think we know the answer now....

[Ghostrider]

Who would have thought it

 

SHETLAND wind farm developer Viking Energy has admitted that their project might not be viable with the current subsidy and transmission charging system in place.

 

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/6787-viking-energy-not-viable-says-chairman

Some good news at last.

 

 

So, how much longer is this charade and cash cow to a few going to be let to continue. Going from being a goldmine to being dubious to break even, is a jump that can leave the whole scheme and everything connecte dwith it with no claim to either credibility or trust.

[paulb]

its simply politics. they are spinning the need for new charges.

 

look at what they are saying if they dont get it there are no renewables in Shetland, Orkney or the western isles. no marine or tidal.

 

if it was so then both the Scottish and British targets are beggared.

 

remember a few years ago the oil industry did a similar thing. and the government caved in. did anyone really believe they were going to walk away from the north sea.

 

give it a few months and i bet there will be a new charging structure.

 

however if not then the trustees of the trust are very guilty of a duty of care. maybe we should be hearing from them.

 

but lets just see what happens.

[ArabiaTerra]

From 25 May 2012:

 

And this is the problem I have with anti-VE people - You don't listen. VE have stated that the assumed charges they used to make their financial projections were almost double what the actual charges under the new regime will be. So the charges have been reduced considerably, unless you don't consider 50% to be considerable?

 

Just to clarify something. The estimated/guaranteed income (20-whatever-million) will presumably now be getting revised upwards because transmission charges have been reduced? They were using a high figure in the projections, but now it is lower so the income will increase? Correct?

 

I think we know the answer now....

 

Quite.

 

Though, as I stated above, the charges as they stand have nothing to do with the costs involved. Rather they were a political arrangement to encourage the power companies to build their power stations close to the users. This means there is no practical reason not to change the charging regime only political reasons.

[crofter]

however if not then the trustees of the trust are very guilty of a duty of care. maybe we should be hearing from them.

 

Jonathan Wills on Radio Shetland tonight said they had the best legal and financial advice available at the time. Presumably that was the advice that the project was viable despite the high charges?

 

It was hilarious to hear him accuse Billy Fox of "personal attacks" minutes after he had referred to "Sabotage Shetland" What a hypocrite.

[Ghostrider]

its simply politics. they are spinning the need for new charges.

 

look at what they are saying if they dont get it there are no renewables in Shetland, Orkney or the western isles. no marine or tidal.

 

if it was so then both the Scottish and British targets are beggared.

 

remember a few years ago the oil industry did a similar thing. and the government caved in. did anyone really believe they were going to walk away from the north sea.

 

give it a few months and i bet there will be a new charging structure.

 

however if not then the trustees of the trust are very guilty of a duty of care. maybe we should be hearing from them.

 

but lets just see what happens.

 

Nothing changes the fact though, that for years each and every electricity customer in Shetland (and elsewhere as applicable) has been paying an up to 11% surcharge (tax) on their bills, that funds the "renewable" subsidy paid out by the Government.

 

Should VE ever materialise and eventually make a profit, how long will it be before it goes in to true profit? ie. All the money that has already left Shetland and all that will between now and if/when VE actually produces income, through this up to 11% tax has all come back in full.

 

How many Hydro accounts are there in Shetland, what is the total average annual billing value of them, and how long have they all paid the "green tax"? Without accurate figures (which SSE don't readily publish as far as I can see) its not easy to calculate an acceptably accurate estimate, but at up to approx £11.00 per £100.00 billed on say an estimated 10,000 accounts its no insignificant sum that much is reasonably obvious. Until and unless VE earns back all of that sum accrued up to if/whenever it actually produces billable output, Shetland has not earned a profit, simply gotten a tax rebate.

[PressedCurdsOfMilk]

however if not then the trustees of the trust are very guilty of a duty of care. maybe we should be hearing from them.

 

Jonathan Wills on Radio Shetland tonight said they had the best legal and financial advice available at the time. Presumably that was the advice that the project was viable despite the high charges?

 

It was hilarious to hear him accuse Billy Fox of "personal attacks" minutes after he had referred to "Sabotage Shetland" What a hypocrite.

 

If it wasn't a gamble it certainly is now, £10 million on the hope for a change in legislation. As Jonathan Wills said on the radio tonight, "you speculate to accumulate".

[Urabug]

So we can import /export oil & gas, also telecommunications through many miles of pipes & cabling to & from these islands, but cannot import/export electricity because of extortionate charges on the necessary cable required to do the job.

 

The rest of the world must be laughing at us with all this stupid regulations that only work against everything that we try to do.