Green GEN Cymru, part of the Bute Energy Group, is announcing Green GEN Vyrnwy Frankton, a renewable energy network in Wales which will connect clean, green energy to the National Grid and help rural communities decarbonise heat, power and transport.
The project will link Bute Energy’s proposed 165MW Llyn Lort Energy Park and a number of other sites in the early assessment and feasibility stage, to the National Grid at a point near Lower Frankton in Shropshire.
The Welsh and UK governments have set clear targets for more renewable energy, helping to combat climate change.
In Mid Wales the existing electricity network does not have the capacity to connect new renewables to homes and businesses, Green GEN Cymru said.
Green GEN Vyrnwy Frankton has been launched to meet this need, with an aim to contribute to a more resilient and reliable network for the region.
It could reduce pressure on the existing electricity grid, supporting green businesses and enabling green heating, and the roll out of electric vehicles across rural Wales, according to the company.
The project could also allow direct connection of community projects and support energy resilience.
It has the potential to support technologies like 5G that could help farmers, schools and businesses to be at the cutting edge of technology while being based in a rural area.
It will tackle both the energy crisis and the climate crisis, and empower rural communities through investment, jobs and skills, enabling communities across Wales to live modern electric lives, supporting the Welsh government’s target for electricity to be 100% renewable by 2035.
Llyn Lort Energy Park, near Llanerfyl in Powys, is currently being consulted on by Bute Energy.
It could generate up to 165MW of clean, green energy, enough to power 144,000 homes per year.
The Green GEN Vyrnwy Frankton proposal is for a new 132kV overhead line, supported on 27-metre tall steel lattice pylons.
While similar to previous National Grid plans in the area, the proposed pylons are significantly shorter and less bulky, and any visual effects will be significantly reduced as a result, the developer said.
The plan also includes a substation near the Llyn Lort Energy Park.
The proposed route for the connection was selected based on a range of factors including potential effects on landscape, the environment and communities.
Green GEN Cymru is focused on causing the least disturbance to those who live, work and enjoy recreation close to the proposals and is committed to protecting the surrounding environment.
A public consultation will run from Wednesday 6 September to Wednesday 18 October.
This includes a series of webinars and public events in the local area to provide more information and give people an opportunity to have their say.