EDINBURGH, Scotland, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- The Scottish government needs the authority to decide how to manage its resources in order to exploit its true potential, First Minister Alex Salmond said. Salmond addressed a report from a former British regulator who said Scotland's renewable power sector was helping ensure adequate electricity supplies across all of the United Kingdom. Some management mechanisms, particularly those on transmission charges, were discouraging investment in Scotland, he said.
"Scotland is a resource rich country, and our energy capabilities and needs are different to those of the United Kingdom as a whole," he said Thursday. "It is imperative that we have the power and responsibility to decide how best we might develop that potential and meet those needs."
Earlier this month, the Scottish government said it was frustrated with British policy decisions that translated to an extra $60 million per year in charges for its power sector.
The Scottish government has put pressure on its British counterparts after a failed bid for independence, arguing for a more diluted power structure when it comes to energy sector management.
The Scottish government says its power systems account for 12 percent of the region's electricity capacity, but it pays 35 percent of the charges.
