'MONUMENTAL STEP TO CUT POWER BILLS'

Miliband delighted by latest round of offshore windfarms but SNP hit out

- BY RACHEL KEENAN

HUGE new windfarms have been given the green light in Scottish waters - but the SNP government branded the decision a “missed opportunity” for Scotland.

The UK Government yesterday secured record amounts of offshore wind power in an auction officials insisted is good for consumers and investment.

The latest round of contracts under renewable energy auctions, known as Contracts for Difference AR7, delivers 8.4 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind and will keep the Government on track to meet its “clean power” by 2030 pledge.

They comprise six new projects including Berwick Bank in the North Sea, the first new Scottish scheme since 2022 and the largest planned offshore wind project in the world, and Pentland, located off Dounreay in Caithness.