Consent for new Lerwick power station granted

Planning consent has been granted for a new power station at Lerwick in Shetland.

About 400 jobs will be created during construction of a replacement for the existing power station, where some generators are 40 years old.

Making the announcement, Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said the old station would be decommissioned.

He said the new power station would improve electricity supplies across Shetland.

Mr Ewing said a vastly increased capacity would "allow the entire demand of Shetland to be met both now and will allow for future expansion of demand".