16/05/2011 - Permalink

National Grid Mid Wales Connection project

Related topics: Community

Make sure you take the opportunity to have your say on National Grid plans to connect proposed new wind farms in mid Wales to the electricity transmission network. 

National Grid are considering different options and are asking local people for their views.  Here you can find more information about the proposals and how you can comment on them before the current round of consultation ends on 20 June.

Background to the proposals

The Welsh Assembly Government has identified mid Wales as an important location for renewable energy.  It has put forward a number of areas in the region suitable for wind farm developments, known as Strategic Search Areas (SSAs).

National Grid has received applications from developers progressing proposals for new wind farms within these SSAs, to provide a connection to the national electricity transmission network.  They have also received an application from ScottishPower Energy Networks (SPEN), the local distribution network operator, which plans to connect further proposed wind farms.

There is no existing high voltage electricity transmission network in the area of the proposed new generation, so a new connection will be required to get the energy from where it is generated to where it is needed.

National Grid is proposing to construct a new substation to collect the energy from the wind farms and a new 400,000 volt (400 kV) transmission connection, which will then take the power from the substation and connect it to the national transmission system.

As well as the work National Grid is undertaking, SPEN and SSE Renewables are proposing new 132,000 volt (132kV) local connections which will connect the power generated from the wind farms to National Grid’s proposed new substation.

Consultation

There are a number of key decisions which National Grid will be asking the public for their feedback on.  These are:

  • The location of the new substation
  • The approach National Grid will take to connecting the new energy generation
  • The route the connection will take

National Grid are expecting to submit the formal planning application during 2012.

As the proposal deals with nationally significant infrastructure, the decision on the route of the connection will be taken by the national Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) rather than by Shropshire Council.  Shropshire Council will be a consultee in the process.

For more information and to register your views as part of the consultation process, visit the National Grid Mid Wales Connection website.