Wind power in Scotland Farm is a 350 MW wind farm near Abington in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The 152-turbine project by Scottish and Southern Energy, which was approved by the Scottish Parliament in July 2008, is capable of powering 300,000 homes. Turbines have been built either side of the M74 motorway. Construction of the wind farm, which is budgeted for £600 million, started in early 2009 and finished in 2012. The farm was opened at a ceremonial ribbon cutting by First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond in September 2012. Crystal Rig Wind Farm is an operational onshore wind farm located on the Lammermuir Hills
Alex Salmond months after receiving it, and referred to it as "ridiculous frippery". On 7 November 2012, Salmond became the longest-serving First Minister of Scotland, when he surpassed the 2,001-day term of his predecessor, Jack McConnell. In 2012, Salmond indicated in a television interview that he had sought the advice of his law officers on whether an independent Scotland would be part of the European Union. The following year, it was revealed that the Scottish Government had spent almost £20,000 to prevent the disclosure of the content of the alleged legal advice, even though no such advice existed. Salmond has faced scrutiny