North-South Wales Electricity Connection
Developer: National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET)
Very little firm information about this is available. No specific details have been released and the route is currently unknown, with the only guidance being from strategic publications. However, gradually a number of factors are emerging and we are very grateful for the work of Dr Jonathan F. Dean, trustee of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, who has monitored and examined the information from NESO and NGET in order to determine probable routes. While accepting that there can be no certainty for some time yet, his analysis gives us the best available picture of the future proposals.
For some time there have been references to the possibility and need for a North to South connection to carry electricity from the Western Scotland under-sea link terminating in North Wales and also off-shore wind farms in the Irish Sea. The National Grid publication issued in January 2025, "Wales: Future Network Blueprint", describes its strategy for the transmission grid and includes a new link between North and South Wales, down to a grid connection either at Swansea or Llandyfaelog.
The latest route indication is from the NESO publication of June 2026, "Beyond 2030 - Electricity Transmission Update". This document indicates a revised strategy with a new transmission line from St Asaph (Bodelwyddan) to Shropshire and then a further new line (or lines) running through mid Wales via a new substation and re-joining the grid near Gloucester. This could provide connection required for planned mid Wales wind farms.
From the NESO document, June 2026 :
The under-sea link from Scotland, known as Western Link 2, is a joint proposal between National Grid and SP Energy Networks. Project information so far shows it will probably come onshore at Aberdesach and then connect by underground cable to the Pentir substation near Bangor, joining the existing National Grid 400kV North Wales network. National Grid have plans to upgrade the North Wales lines and substations, including Bodelwyddan in Denbighshire. There are also planned underground lines to connect off-shore wind farms in the Irish Sea to the upgraded Bodelwyddan substation.
Previous information from the National Grid implied a line from Bodelwyddan running south, probably via new substations, to near Newbridge-on-Wye and then follow a similar south-west route as the proposed Towy-Usk line. At the moment we assume this has been superceded by the later NESO recommendations, but nothing is certain.
from National Grid :
Targetted for after Ofgem's RIIO T3 period which ends 31st March 2031, so expected date around mid 2030's. These lines will most likely be 400kV on 50m steel lattice pylons, as typically used for major transmission routes.
Although there is no confirmed information, construction of overhead transmission lines of this scale would pose an even greater threat to the landscapes of Wales than the 132kV pylon line proposals that we already know about.
References (external, open in new tab):
NESO Beyond 2030 - Electricity Transmission Update (PDF)
National Grid Transmission: Wales Future Network Blueprint (PDF)
National Grid Transmission: Western Link 2
CPRW press release about the NESO recommended lines
CPRW article about the North-South line