October 28, 2022
Wales

‘Gaping black hole’ in wind farm proposal says Welsh rural campaign group

28 Oct 2022 nation.cymru

A rural campaign group is calling on developers to provide details on how it plans to connect a 36-turbine wind farm proposal in mid Wales to the National Grid.

Developer Bute Energy is proposing to construct a wind farm of 36 wind turbines, each 220m high, at the ‘Nant Mithil Energy Park’ which stretches across Radnor Forest, but The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) says it gives little detail of how it plans to connect the proposal to the National Grid.

CPRW claims it would require a huge new infrastructure development of electricity pylons and cables that would stretch across the border and into England.

Following two public meetings and one online webinar from Bute Energy, CPRW has said it and many members of the public have been left with more questions than answers.

“Several questions put to Bute Energy by CPRW and members of the public at their consultation meetings simply could not be answered.

“Huge questions about how Bute were planning on ever connecting this proposed development to the national grid simply were not answered.”

CPRW added: “With the closest viable connection point to the National Grid being across the border in England, the transmission cables and pylons needed would stretch across the landscape.

“How can people give their honest opinion on this development when they have only been shown a small element in isolation? There is a gaping black hole in this proposal which needs to be filled.

“CPRW is calling for Bute Energy to disclose to the public the full scale of this development, including the massive project to connect it to the National Grid.”

Crossing needed

At the public meeting the developers also confirmed that a new crossing across the River Wye would be required to transport the huge turbine blades to the site but could not say how big, what materials or whether this bridge would be permanent or temporary, CPRW has said.

“There are much more questions than answers over the Nant Mithil proposal and I urge the public to let their thoughts know about this before it goes any further,” added the CPRW Spokesperson.

Bute Energy have said that the consultation on Nant Mithil closes for public feedback on 31 October.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2022/10/28/gaping-black-hole-in-wind-farm-proposal-says-welsh-rural-campaign-group/