GreenGen Cymru revises plans and launches second stage consultation for new electricity connection

GREEN GEN Cymru has revised its plans for the new 132kV electricity connection that will transport clean, green energy from renewable generators in Wales to the national transmission network. In a statement issued by the company they said:

We want to build a positive, clean future for us all. We are acting now to build and operate a green energy network for Wales, that will make sure renewable energy can flow to our homes, hospitals, schools, businesses, and communities.

We are proposing a new 132kV (132,000-volt) connection, approximately 97 kilometres in length between Bute Energy’s Nant Mithil Energy Park and a new substation, to be developed by National Grid Electricity Transmission, on the existing 400kV (400,000-volt) transmission network near Llandyfaelog, in Carmarthenshire.

We have carefully considered feedback from the spring 2023 consultation and revised our plans

Following the first round of consultation in spring 2023 we re-examined our preferred route from an environmental, technical, and economic perspective to see if we could make changes based on the feedback received and our own further assessments and site visits.

We have made a number of changes to our proposals and have identified a draft route alignment which shows where the infrastructure might go.

Public Consultation: Your detailed feedback is important

This second round of public consultation is open from Wednesday 13 March to Wednesday 8 May 2024, with six community events during March and April for people to find out more about the project and how we have revised our plans, with further opportunity to provide detailed feedback that will help us to refine our proposals.

Gareth Williams, Grid Director at Green GEN Cymru said:

It’s imperative that we act swiftly to harness Wales’ renewable energy potential and get the green energy generated to the many homes, hospitals, schools, businesses, and communities that need it in the rest of Wales and beyond.

The existing network in Mid Wales, built many years ago to transport energy from old fossil-fuel power stations in the north and south, does not have nearly enough capacity to connect all the new renewable energy we need for our homes and businesses, locally and nationally.

To end the use of fossil fuels we need new infrastructure, and quickly. Our revised plans for the Towy Usk Connection will help build a positive, clean future for us all.

In 2023 we consulted local people on our preferred route for the new Towy Usk connection. We’ve carefully considered the 2,949 feedback responses received, alongside further environmental and technical assessments, and we have made a number of changes to our proposals.

In this second stage of non-statutory consultation, we’re asking for feedback on the draft route alignment, including proposed locations of wood poles, pylons, underground cables, and other infrastructure, along with any other factors you would like us to consider.

Detailed feedback from communities and specialist organisations is important. We’re asking for their views in this spring 2024 consultation, even if they already commented during the first round of consultation in 2023. Local knowledge helps us understand any potential effects and benefits that we may not have considered in our work to date, and to inform our work and help refine our proposals going forward.

Investing in Rural Wales

Green GEN Cymru recognises it’s not just about delivering clean, green energy in Wales; it’s also about investing in communities and the future of rural Wales. For every MW of installed capacity, Bute Energy commits £7,500 to the Community Investment Fund, a unique opportunity for communities along the Green GEN Towy Usk connection route. This fund will help to create lasting impact locally ensuring that the benefits of our renewable energy projects are felt by communities across Wales.

Planning today for our tomorrow

This development is classified as a Development of National Significance in Wales, requiring a robust consultation process. Green GEN Cymru’s approach to engagement for the Towy Usk connection is to carry out three rounds of consultation with communities and stakeholders, going beyond the PEDW ‘good practice’ guidance to ensure that local people have the opportunity to comment at each stage of the project’s development.

The three rounds of pre-application consultation that we are carrying out are:

First round of non-statutory consultation on our preferred route – spring 2023
Second round of non-statutory consultation on a draft route alignment from Wednesday 13 March to Wednesday 08 May 2024;
Statutory consultation on the draft application to PEDW, which is planned for 2025.
Get involved in our revised plans

For detailed information, including an interactive map of the draft route alignment, and event details, visit www.greengentowyusk.com