First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday hit out at charges faced by power companies he claimed discriminate against Scotland. Speaking during his first official engagement, at Longannet power station in Fife, he attacked charges companies have to pay to put the electricity they produce on to the national grid.

First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday hit out at charges faced by power companies he claimed discriminate against Scotland.

Speaking during his first formal official engagement at Longannet power station in Fife, he attacked transmission charges companies have to pay to put the electricity they produce on to the national grid.

Mr Salmond said he would be taking the issue of the charges, which are aimed at reducing the distance electricity travels before it is used, up with Westminster.

"It's certainly an issue we are going to take forward and it's an issue we are going to take forward on behalf of companies like ScottishPower and Scottish Southern, who are being discriminated against, and on behalf of a country which is being discriminated against," he said.

"If you produce power in Scotland, you have to pay up to £20 a kilowatt for the privilege of connecting to the grid. If you produce it in London, you get subsidised £7 a kilowatt.

"Now that's not right, particularly when there are areas of renewable, green, clean technology waiting to be produced in Scotland and all we are asking for is a fair crack of the whip."

Mr Salmond was in Fife to discuss plans for Europe's largest "clean coal" project, intended to cut emissions from power stations by 20%.

ScottishPower unveiled plans to convert its two coal-fired power stations to use the ground-breaking technology, employing so-called "supercritical" turbines and boilers that could be fitted at the plants at Longannet in Fife, and Cockenzie in East Lothian.

Carbon emissions would be reduced by one-fifth at the stations whose combined generation capacity could provide more than one-quarter of Scotland's electricity needs.

The move received only a lukewarm welcome by campaigners including WWF Scotland, who last week named Longannet 15th on a list of the most-polluting power stations in Europe, and Friends of the Earth Scotland. Both organisations pressed for greater commitment to carbon capture technology, which involves re-using emissions.

The new turbines and boilers, which will burn coal at ultra-high temperatures and pressure, may be built within the existing power station buildings. The phased development will see both stations continuing to operate at a reduced capacity while the new facility is constructed.

A spokesman for ScottishPower said the refitted stations will also be designed to incorporate carbon-capture technology currently being developed at Longannet.