Complaint
This article set out details of a proposed new hydroelectric scheme in the Scottish Highlands. 聽A reader complained about a number of aspects of the piece, including the claim that it would 鈥渄ouble the UK鈥檚 ability to store energy for long periods鈥. 聽The ECU assessed the concerns against the standards for due accuracy set out in the 大象传媒 Editorial Guidelines.
Outcome
The original article referred to 鈥淎 giant hydro scheme which would double the UK鈥檚 ability to store energy for long periods鈥.聽 The ECU disagreed with the complainant鈥檚 objection to the use of the word 鈥済颈补苍迟鈥 on the basis the project鈥檚 capacity to generate electricity was relatively modest, because the description was not solely a reference to the project鈥檚 electricity performance; as well as noting that the project would be the biggest hydro scheme in the UK for 40 years, the article went on to explain that it would be 鈥渙ne of the biggest-ever engineering projects in the Highlands, creating up to 500 construction jobs at its peak鈥.聽聽 However, it was an error to say it would double the UK鈥檚 ability to store 鈥渆苍别谤驳测鈥 for long periods because it would double only its ability to store electricity, and the UK has substantial stores of other sources of energy. 聽The error had been corrected as a result of the complaint, but the ECU decided that, as no acknowledgement or explanation was added to the article, the correction was insufficient to resolve the issue of accuracy.
Partly Upheld
Further action
The finding was reported to the management of 大象传媒 Scotland.聽 An explanatory note was added to the article and a correction was posted on the Clarifications and Corrections page of bbc.co.uk.