November 20, 2014
Wales

Final say on route for £300m pylons for Powys wind farms

BBC News | 18 November 2014 | www.bbc.co.uk

Communities are getting a final say on the route for a £300m network of pylons to link to new wind farms in Powys.

Plans for hundreds of turbines in Montgomeryshire have already faced opposition and a public inquiry.

A final decision has yet to be made by the Department of Energy (DoE).

But the National Grid (NG) needs to plan pylons in the meantime and is now consulting on where 30 miles (49 km) of power lines would go.

The pylon network would take more than two years to build and work could start by 2019.

The lines and a substation at Cefn Coch near Llanfair Caereinion, are needed to carry electricity from the turbines to the grid, if planning permission for the wind farms is eventually given.

Villagers in Llansanffraid ym Mechain in Powys are unhappy because they feel the pylon route is too close and could hit tourism.

Local community councillor Digby Davies wants more time given to the consultation as he said many holiday home owners will be away.

He said: “When you allow for the Christmas and the New Year break, NG have allowed for an eight week not a 12-week consultation.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/11/20/final-say-on-route-for-300m-pylons-for-powys-wind-farms/