The first wave of households are set to receive a £250 annual discount on energy bills, under the Governments Pounds for Pylons scheme, reports the BBC.
Customers who live within 500m of 43 new pylons across Britain will be eligible for the payments for up to a decade.
About 80p a year will be added to all energy bills to fund the scheme. Two thirds of the projects will be in Scotland with the rest in areas north of London, East Anglia, The Midlands and North Wales.
It is estimated that between 120,000 and 160,000 households could eventually receive the discounts as more projects are rolled out. With most getting it automatically but some homes on commercial metres may need to apply.
Critics argue the discounts are meagre compensation for the impact on their homes, neighbourhoods and the environment an that £250 annual discount is not enough.
In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland, UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Building any kind of infrastructure in these communities does cause disruption.
“But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t build any kind of infrastructure and I’m afraid in this country, for too long, we have taken that view, and the result is that we have been held back by not having the infrastructure the country needs.”
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero says the electricity grid was designed for an era when power came from coal and gas, but now needs upgrades to cope with growing amounts of renewable energy.
The size of the pylons will vary but in north east Scotland, some the proposed structures are around 57m tall.
The first payments will start early next year when customers will receive more information from their supplier or Ofgem.
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