Pylon announcement delayed

 

The energy giants needs to connect hundreds of planned wind turbines from West of the shire to the National Grid in England by creating a 20-acre substation in one of two local valleys with pylons running cables across the border.

 

A decision was due in May, but in a statement this afternoon (Tuesday), National Grid has said it needs more time.

 

The statement read:

 

“National Grid is working hard to complete its final assessments ahead of selecting a substation citing area and route corridor to provide a connection for wind farms in Mid Wales, but has confirmed it needs more time to conclude this work.” 

 

Project Manager, Jeremy Lee, added: “We are giving careful attention to a wide range of factors to ensure that we make the most appropriate choice.  Feedback from the consultation, the potential effects of our work on the local area, the proposed connections to the substation, and our responsibilities to develop a connection that is safe, reliable and cost-effective are all being considered.”

 

“The complexity of the project and the nature of the landscape in Powys and Shropshire makes balancing all of these various requirements very challenging, which is why we are giving the final choice such careful consideration.

 

“We fully understand that people will be frustrated that this is taking longer than we anticipated, but we are working hard to complete our work and will confirm the selection of substation and route corridor as soon as we possibly can.”

 

When National Grid announces the choices, a series of public events will be held in the area and information will be published on how the choices have been made.

 

However, the news of the delay, and lack of new date of when to expect an announcement, has been met with anger locally.

 

Assembly Member Russell George said: “National Grid has been consulting on this for nearly 18 months now. We have had a number of postponements on the final decision and now we have an indefinite postponement.

 

“It has being drawn out far longer than it needs to be and these delays are just increasing local people’s concerns and anxieties.

 

“I believe National Grid could take 100 years to make their decision and still it would be the wrong one for Mid Wales.

 

“However, what is important for all those campaigning against the Mid Wales Connection Project, is that when they do make their preferred option publically known that everyone continues to remain united in that opposition.

 

“That is the only way that we are going to stop this project from blighting our unique and beautiful landscape.”