Pylon Line The Length Of Wales Revealed

Media Release
20^th November 2024

Pylon Line The Length Of Wales Revealed

CPRW understands the North-South Wales connection is to go ahead with overhead transmission lines on pylons.

The Welsh landscape charity has raised concern over the impact pylons will have on the landscape and natural environment and strongly recommends the use of subsea cables or undergrounding.

Identified as critical to the U.K. government’s aim for clean power by 2030, necessary to get electricity from Scotland to South Wales and facilitating the mass building of onshore wind farms in mid-Wales, CPRW understands National Grid are now offering connection agreements to the line.

Currently the transmission system exists only in north and south Wales. There have been ideas to connect the two since at least 2009 but CPRW understands plans are now underway to make the connection happen.

Dr Jonathan Dean, CPRW Trustee, said: “The possible route for the line to take is; from Bodelwyddan head south down the Vale of Clwyd, Gwyddelwern, Cefn Coch, once near Builth Wells head South West down Dyffryn Tywi to Llandyfaelog. National Grid are claiming that the project is “early days” and they are still considering “all options” but wind farm developers are being offered connection agreements to it.”

CPRW are aware of the following emerging facts:

• Bodelwyddan is fast becoming an energy hub, including bringing electricity from Scotland, and is not constrained by Eryri national park
• A new substation and battery storage is planned at Gwyddelwern, near Corwen
• The Mynydd Mawr proposed wind farm at Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant to the West of Oswestry has been offered a connection agreement to the North / South line
• Scottish Power have a project, started in 2011 but put on hold, for a substation at Cefn Coch near Llanfair Caereinion to the north of Newtown, for several wind farms
• The Carnedd Wen proposed wind farm near Mallwyd to the east of Dolgellau will connect to a substation called Mid-Wales West
• Lightsource have a wind/solar/storage project called Berthlwyd that will connect to a substation called Mid-Wales Connection Node A, possibly near Newbridge
• A new substation is planned at Llandyfaelog, south of Carmarthen, for several mid-Wales wind farms as well as the Celtic Sea wind farms
• National policy presumes pylons in all but designated landscapes

Dr Jonathan Dean, CPRW Trustee, continued: “We can achieve net zero using only offshore wind.  The Irish Sea alone can produce more energy than the whole of onshore Wales.  We can transmit the energy long distances under the sea.  We can get the energy to even the remotest farm using wooden poles or “ploughed in” cables.  We can protect and conserve our landscapes for future generations. Everything is possible, but we’re not doing it.”

CPRW have responded to the Independent Advisory Group for Electricity Grids in Wales and are encouraging those who do not support the proposed overhead line to speak with their local MPs, MS and local councillors.

More information can be found on CPRW’s website cprw.org.uk.