The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) is calling on Bute Energy to come clean on how it plans to connect a massive wind farm proposal in the Radnor Forest to the National Grid, fearing a huge network of transmission pylons and cables stretching across the landscape.
Developers Bute Energy are proposing to construct a massive wind farm of thirty-six wind turbines, each 220m high, at the misleadingly named ‘Nant Mithil Energy Park’ which stretches across Radnor Forest, but they say little of how they plan to connect the proposal to the National Grid. This is something which CPRW claims would require a huge new infrastructure development of electricity pylons and cables that would stetch across the border and into England.
Following two public meetings and one online webinar from developers Bute Energy, CPRW and many members of the public have been left with more questions than answers says CPRW spokesperson, “Several questions put to Bute Energy by CPRW and members of the public at their consultation meetings simply could not be answered.
“Huge questions about how Bute were planning on ever connecting this proposed development to the national grid simply were not answered. CPRW would go as far as to say that Bute either did not know or did not want to reveal to the public how big an exercise it would be to connect the proposed wind farm to the closest viable connection point to the National Grid.” Said the spokesperson.
When asked repeatedly about the connection to the grid, all that Bute Energy would say is that it would require its own DNS (Design of National Significance), indicating that it would be a major development. Furthermore, they indicated that the proposal for this connection would not be revealed to the public until at least 2023.
CPRW also challenges Bute Energy to provide an undergrounding option as far as connecting to the grid be that with or beyond the Welsh border.
CPRW pointed out that it was wrong to ask the public what they thought of this development when they were only being shown half of what would be required. “With the closest viable connection point to the National Grid being across the border in England, the transmission cables and pylons needed would stretch across the landscape.
“How can people give their honest opinion on this development when they have only been shown a small element in isolation?! There is a gapping black hole in this proposal which needs to be filled. The CPRW is calling for Bute Energy to disclose to the public the full scale of this development, including the massive project to connect it to the National Grid!”
At the public meeting the developers also confirmed that a new crossing across the River Wye WOULD be required to transport the huge turbine blades to the site but could not say how big, what materials or whether this bridge would be permanent or temporary.
“There are much more questions than answers over the Nant Mithil proposal and I urge the public to let their thoughts know about this before it goes any further!” added the CPRW Spokesperson.
Bute Energy have said that the consultation on Nant Mithil closes for public feedback on Monday 31 October 2022.
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Notes to editor:
More info on the Nant Mithil proposal can be found here: https://nantmithilenergypark.wales/
Feedback to the project can be given here: https://engage360.tractivity.co.uk/2c394ad4-9135-432a-a9a2-95476eb1ec92/survey?q=2022%7cYK7RJ6OOq7yI55HnTGBOx0CBnR0%2br2jk6FWOfHLiaewYF%2ba%2fjkBXZzPaHdxTC%2bSGU0V86GRfyWxW%2bfPxKNtLKQ%3d%3d
