Project Proposals
Summary of current proposals. See individual pages for more detail.
Towy-Usk
Developer: Green GEN Cymru
Overhead line on pylons and wood poles from Nant Mithil Energy Park, Radnor Forest, to Llandyfaelog, about 60 miles, 132kV, dual circuit, quoted power capacity of around 800MW. First section from the Nant Mithil substation to a switching station near Hundred House is on wood poles, the rest on steel lattice pylons apart from an underground section near Llanarthne. Approximately 389 pylons and 90 wood poles.
Towy-Teifi
Developer: Green GEN Cymru
Overhead line on pylons from Lan Fawr Energy Park, near Llanddewi Brefi, to Llandyfaelog, 132kV, dual circuit. First section is on wood poles, running mostly through the Lan Fawr Energy Park, then steel lattice pylons to near Merlin's Hill bear Carmarthen, an underground section, followed by a further pylons section and final underground section to the Llandyfaelog substation. Approximately 190 pylons, plus unspecified wood poles.
Vyrnwy-Frankton
Developer: Green GEN Cymru
Overhead line on pylons from Cors y Garreg, near Cefn Coch, to Lower Frankton, Shropshire, 132kV, dual circuit. A section from Llyn Lort Energy Park substation to the Cors y Garreg collector substation is underground for 2.5km, then overhead cables on steel lattice pylons to a switching station at Lower Frankton where it will connect to the National Grid. 172 pylons, approximately 50km.
North-South connection
Developer: National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET)
Proposed connection line as part of the Future Network Blueprint strategy, no specific details are released and the route is currently unknown. Will most likely be a 400kV line on 50m pylons. Intended to carry electricity from the Western Scotland under-sea link, coming on-shore in North Wales, down to a grid connection either at Swansea or Llandyfaelog.
Rhiwlas GEN (Green Energy Network)
Developer: Green GEN Cymru
Wood pole overhead line from Rhiwlas Energy Park to the Cors y Garreg collector substation, enabling connection to the Vyrnwy-Frankton line. There is also a 3kV underground section of about 3km connecting the Banc Du Energy Park. Wood poles will probably be "H" style twin poles, up to about 14m high but variable depending on terrain. Distance between poles is approximately 106m.
Llandyfaelog substation
Developer: National Grid Electricity Transmission, NGED and Green GEN Cymru
Huge new substation south of Carmarthen. The main large 400kV substation will be owned and operated by NGET. It will be next to the existing pylon lines and includes two new pylons and replacement of an existing one. Adjoining and connected on the same site would be two other 132kV substations, for NGED and Green GEN, which will be subject to their own separate planning applications. The substation complex is a critical component for the two Green GEN pylon lines and other connections.
Lower Frankton substation
Developer: National Grid Electricity Transmission, Green GEN Cymru (possibly other?)
National Grid have confirmed they are proposing a new 400kV substation at Lower Frankton, on the existing overhead transmision line between Wrexham and Shrewsbury. No planning application has yet been submitted and there are few details.
However, as part of their Vyrnwy-Frankton proposal Green GEN Cymru have submitted plans for their own switching station at Lower Frankton. The plan indicates a large development area (draft order limits) which presumably will include the new 400kv NGET substation to facilitate direct connection. As with the Llandyfaelog substation, this is a critical part of their pylon plans.
Other connections
There are additional proposed wind farm grid connections that use wood poles, and some that have not yet been clearly defined but will probably be the same. These connection lines are treated as separate planning applications, even though they are critical to the viability of the wind farm projects. In some of the wind farm plans there is only a brief and evasive mention of the required grid connection. Sometimes the final connection point to the main grid is known in advance, even if the details have not been determined.
Although not steel pylons lines, some are significant developments in themselves, while others are important feeds into the main pylon lines.