Telegraph News Article
1st January 2025
Green power pylons to scythe through ‘unspoilt’ countryside
Towering electric lines risk wrecking ‘stunning’ Welsh landscapes, say critics
Popular hiking routes such as Glyndwr’s Way lack legal protections
Huge swathes of “unspoilt” countryside in the heart of Wales are being threatened by Ed Miliband’s clean power plans, campaigners have warned.
A string of high-voltage power lines are set to be built from the north of the country down to the south as part of a major upgrade of the electricity grid.
The project has been identified as critical for handling energy from the wind turbines that Mr Miliband, the Energy Secretary, wants to deliver across Britain by 2030.
But critics fear it will result in towering pylons wrecking views through some of the most untouched and picturesque landscapes in mid-Wales – where there is a local outcry about a slew of proposed onshore wind farms.
Jonathan Dean, of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, said: “The places where these pylons will go are currently stunning, unspoilt areas of countryside that offer spectacular views.
“Up to this point, there has never been development like this because it has never been needed – and it would still be unnecessary if it weren’t for all the wind farms being proposed.
“Mid-Wales will never need this much electricity but it is being forced on people so that Scotland can export power to the south.”
The proposed new power line has been included in a network plan by the National Energy System Operator (Neso), as well as in proposals announced by Mr Miliband.
It has previously been described as an “essential” upgrade needed by 2030, but Neso said in November that it was unlikely to be delivered by then, with 2037 viewed as the most likely date.
No detailed route has been confirmed for the power lines, which would be the first direct link between the transmission grids of North and South Wales and would transport electricity from Scottish wind farms to cities such as Swansea and Cardiff.
However, they would probably connect a substation near either Bangor or Rhyl in North Wales to one near Carmarthen in the south. This means the line would have to pass through an area of the Cambrian Mountains known as the desert of Wales – or Elenydd – where several sites of special scientific interest are located.
Since the 1960s, nature conservationists have repeatedly called for this region – which sits between Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons – to be designated a national park or area of outstanding natural beauty.
Those efforts have yet to bear fruit, meaning the area lacks legal protections – despite being a popular destination where walkers can hike the national trails of the Cambrian Way and Glyndwr’s Way.
Campaigners want Neso to bypass mid-Wales by building an undersea cable that would run between Anglesey and Pembroke, Mr Dean said.
But that is likely to be viewed as less attractive by ministers – who will have the final say – because it would be more expensive.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, has previously warned that spending extra money on burying electricity cables or other schemes to reduce their visual impact is not compatible with lowering household energy bills, arguing that voters must accept some trade-offs.
A spokesman for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “Securing Britain’s clean energy future will require improving infrastructure to get renewable electricity on the grid.
“Like all infrastructure, any proposals are subject to a rigorous planning permission process.
“Subsea cabling is more expensive than onshore overhead transmission lines and these additional costs are borne by the electricity bill payer.
“It is important we take people with us and are considering ways to ensure communities who live near new, clean energy infrastructure can see the benefits of this and we will provide an update in due course.”
A spokesman for National Grid added that the company’s assessments of possible routes was ongoing and that a range of options would be considered.
They added: “When we have completed our initial appraisals, we will share them with communities and stakeholders first, so we can listen to their views and obtain important feedback to help develop the proposals further.”
Communities in mid-Wales are already in uproar about a string of onshore wind farms proposed across the Elenydd uplands.
For example, the proposed Esgair Galed Energy Park will feature up to 26 wind turbines – each more than twice as tall as Big Ben – built near the Glaslyn nature reserve, Gwynedd, and the Pumlumon Site of Special Scientific Interest in Powys.
The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, which manages both sites, has described the scheme as “hugely worrying”.
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