Recommendation 7

Scotland currently faces higher-than-average standing charges, largely reflecting the higher costs of transporting power to rural areas compared with large population centres. The burden of higher standing charges is particularly acute for Scotland’s remote and island communities, who also experience higher levels of fuel poverty and, in many cases, are bearing the brunt of the infrastructure required to deliver UK- wide clean power ambitions. This disparity risks undermining public confidence in the transition and exacerbating inequalities, particularly in the short-term, as increased infrastructure investment pushes up bills. (Conclusion, Paragraph 43)