Scottish
Hydro
Electric
Transmission,
owned
by
the
utility
SSE,
says
the
450MW
interconnector
is
now
likely
to
cost
at
least
£700m
($1.12bn),
up
from
its
previous
estimate
of
£400m,
meaning
the
likely
transmission
charges
for
renewable-energy
generators
would
be
unfeasibly
high.
SSE
is
under
intense
pressure
from
the
Scottish
government
to
build
the
Western
Isles
interconnector,
which
would
enable
renewables
projects
on
the
sparsely
populated
Isle
of
Lewis
to
sell
power
onto
the
UK
grid,
while
also
boosting
the
island’s
own
energy
security.
The
Isle
of
Lewis,
part
of
the
rugged
chain
known…
