Following the announcement from National Grid regarding the substation location for proposed wind farm developments in Mid Wales, ScottishPower Energy Networks has outlined its plans for the initial connections. The company will speak to communities in the coming weeks about a £60m scheme to connect the proposed wind farms in Mid Wales to the National Grid network. The new connections will also improve the security of supply in the local area and increase the available network capacity to support economic growth.

The proposals being put forward by ScottishPower Energy Networks include:

• A project that minimises line lengths to 50km from a potential 85km project


• Up to 80% of the connection to be built using wood pole lines approximately 14m in height - initial proposals were for metal towers 27m in height


• Although ScottishPower Energy Networks does not see a need for a wholly underground project, the company will weigh up environmental impacts against the costs of undergrounding specific sections at the next more detailed stage of consultation.



• SP Energy Networks Mid Wales Connections Project Update

Frank Mitchell, CEO of ScottishPower Energy Networks, said:

“The announcement today from National Grid on the location of the substation at Cefn Coch will allow us to put forward our plans for the initial wind farm connections in Mid Wales, and discuss these plans with the local communities.

“Last year we consulted widely on the two potential locations that National Grid had initially proposed, receiving more than 2,000 responses from the community.

“We have taken on board the feedback we have received, and will seek to incorporate a number of points in to our plans. This includes linking the new network to the existing local electricity network, so power generated by the proposed wind farms will be distributed to local homes and businesses. Linking the existing network to the new network will also increase the security of electricity supplies for homes and businesses in the area.

“The next stage in this process will involve a series of public events at locations close to our proposed route corridors which will give members of the community an opportunity to find out more about our refined plans and ask questions about how we have reached our conclusions. In addition to these events we will be holding further sessions, starting in September, to discuss design aspects with local communities.”

The initial public events will take at the following locations:

SATURDAY 4TH AUGUST (10am – 4pm)
Clatter
Community Centre
Clatter,
Powys,
SY17 5NL

MONDAY 6TH AUGUST (2pm to 8pm)
Trefeglwys
Village Hall
Trefeglwys,
Caersws
SY17 5PH

WEDNESDAY 8TH AUGUST (2pm to 8pm)
(Joint National Grid event)
Cwm Llanllugan
Community Centre
Cefn Coch, Welshpool,
Powys SY21 0AE

Media Information: Paul Ferguson - 0141 614 4535