MP criticises “short-sighted” and “ill-informed” blockade by activists at local power station
Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid has criticised a blockade of Peterhead Power Station by activists from Extinction Rebellion and Glasgow Calls Out Polluters on Thursday (3 June).
About 20 demonstrators from Extinction Rebellion Scotland and Glasgow Calls Out Polluters turned up outside the power station at around 6am this morning.
Claiming that the facility has been ranked as one of the worst polluters in the country by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid said:
“The UK Government is fully committed to reducing net carbon emissions and the Scottish Government have made similar commitments. In fact, the UK was the first major economy to put such commitments into law.
“The whole energy sector in Scotland is also committed to contributing to net zero – as demonstrated by the recent North Sea Transition Deal agreed between the UK Government and OGUK.
“I met with operators SSE recently to discuss their ambitious plans for a new low-carbon Power Station at Peterhead, which will tie in with Carbon Capture and Storage plans at St Fergus.
“Groups such as these, as well as the Scottish Greens, not content with Government ‘net zero’ targets, appear to be campaigning for absolute zero emissions which is not realistic, practical or in line with UK or Scottish Government policy.
“This act by protestors is short-sighted, ill-informed and does not do justice to the huge efforts already being made by Governments and industry.”