Hundreds of protestors opposing plans for a 60 mile pylon route through mid Wales took to the streets to show their opposition. Bute Energy/Green GEN has submitted plans to run the pylons through countryside and farmland from Radnor to Carmarthen.
The company met a frosty reception from people living in the affected areas when they attended a public consultation in Llandovery. More than 600 people came to voice their concerns at the consultation with a protest march by school children to the Castle Hotel where it was held.
Local farmer Dyfan Walters, co-chair of the 28-strong Llandovery Pylon Steering Group, said if the company gets the go ahead the pylons would start going up within two years. The 30 metre high structures would “destroy” the landscape and threatening the area’s tourism and farming economy, he said.
Green GEN began consulting on its proposals last year. It says the plans are for a new 132kV double-circuit overhead line, supported on steel pylons, between a substation at the Nant Mithil Energy Park in the Radnor Forest and a new substation on the existing National Grid 400kV transmission line between Carmarthen and Pont Abraham.
If the scheme gets the go ahead pylons would go up on some of Mr Walters’ farm fields near Llandovery, but he said the protest was wider than just his personal concerns. “This is picturesque countryside and our local economy is agriculture and tourism. If you put massive pylons and intervals across the valley it will be ruined.”
He said the company has never done anything like this before. Locals want the cable put underground instead and said the only obstacle to that was cost.
“There is an Ofgem consultation and the plans haven’t been agreed yet but Ofgem have said they are minded to agree them,” said Mr Walters, “We need to stick together and continue this fight to get these cables underground.”
Mr Walters said protestors were delighted by the strength of the turn out to show local opposition at the meeting on April 10. Local people are committed to fight the plans and the group is asking people to protest to Ofgen and the company behind the plans.
“The demonstration was amazing with everybody in disbelief that pylons are still being considered with this technology available locally to get the cables underground quickly and efficiently. The message was clear, these cables need to be underground, and we are not going to stand by and allow our community to be ruined.”
On its website Green GEN Cymru, part of the Bute Energy group, describes its plans for Green GEN Towy Usk as “a renewable energy network which will connect clean, green energy to the National Grid and help rural communities across Wales decarbonise heating, power and transport”. It says the project will link Bute Energy’s Nant Mithil Energy Park, which could generate around 237MW of clean, green energy in the Radnor Forest area, to the National Grid.
The company adds: “It will reduce pressure on the existing electricity grid, supporting green businesses and enabling green heating and the roll out of electric vehicles across rural Wales. The project will also allow direct connection of community projects and support energy resilience.
“It has the potential to support technologies like 5G that could help farmers, schools and businesses to be at the cutting edge of technology while being based in a rural area. It will tackle both the energy crisis and the climate crisis, and empower rural communities through investment, jobs and skills, enabling communities across Wales to live modern electric lives.”
The company says its scheme would support the Welsh Government’s target for electricity to be 100% renewable by 2035.
In a message on his company’s website Gareth Williams, Grid Director at Bute Energy said:“We know that people have differing views on new infrastructure, and we are committed to doing everything we can to cause the least disturbance to the environment and those who live, work and enjoy recreation close to our proposals. We’d urge people to have their say on our plans so that we can develop the best solution for the environment and for communities across Wales.”
Green GEN Cymru was approached for comment.