Green Generation Energy Networks Cymru (Green GEN Cymru) is proudly based in Wales and is developing green energy networks to meet the future needs of Wales’ people, communities, and businesses.
We have a vision for a healthier, wealthier Wales, that uses clean energy generation as a positive power locally and regionally, to create a more sustainable future for this and future generations.
As an Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), we’ll design, construct and maintain a new 132kV (132,000- volt) electricity distribution network - needed to connect new Welsh renewable energy projects to the electricity transmission network, helping to get green energy to homes and businesses across Wales and beyond.
Adopting renewable energy sources will have positive impacts on local communities right across the country. Connecting local generation to the National Grid is crucial for improving our energy independence and resilience, reducing our vulnerability to UK energy supply disruptions. Our new renewable network will create jobs and stimulate economic growth, reduce pollution, and improve public health.
We will work closely with Welsh communities and stakeholders as we develop our plans, to maximise the benefits and minimise the impacts for local people. You can find out more at the Green GEN Cymru website www.greengencymru.com.
Green GEN Cymru is proposing two new 132kV overhead lines to connect Bute Energy’s proposed Bryn Gilwern and Aberedw Energy Parks to a proposed new local distribution network at a new electricity switching station, located at the foot of Aberedw Hill, north-east of Builth Wells.
The proposed Bryn Gilwern connection is approximately 5 kilometres, and the Aberedw connection is just over 1 kilometre.
The two proposed overhead lines, supported on wood poles, will connect Bute Energy’s proposed Bryn Gilwern and Aberedw Energy Parks to the local distribution network at an electricity switching station proposed by Green GEN Cymru, located at the foot of Aberedw Hill, north-east of Builth Wells.
Bute Energy’s proposed Bryn Gilwern and Aberedw Energy Parks Energy Parks will have a combined wind generating capacity of 192 megawatts, enough to power around 175,700 homes and save approximately 261,500 tonnes of carbon per year.
To learn more Bute Energy's proposals, visit: aberedwenergypark.wales and bryngilwernenergypark.wales.
There will be no public funds used. As an Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), Green GEN Cymru will pay for the design, construction and maintenance of the new 132kV (132,000- volt) electricity distribution network - needed to connect new Welsh renewable energy projects to the electricity transmission network, helping to get green energy to homes and businesses across Wales and beyond.
The overhead lines for the Bryn Gilwern and Aberedw grid connections will be supported on wood poles. The poles are typically between 14 and 16 metres tall. The average distance between the wood poles, or ‘span length’ is approximately 110 metres.
The exact wood pole heights and span lengths vary depending on the terrain or obstacles they cross, such as streams and rivers. Where the two proposed lines change direction, angle poles will be required, with stay wires for stability.
An example of what the wooden poles will look like can be seen here.
An example of what the wood poles will look like
The proposed switching station, located near the A481 at the foot of Aberedw Hill, will be similar in appearance to an electrical substation, such as the existing Builth Wells substation pictured shown below.
The switching station site will be approximately 75 metres by 85 metres in size to accommodate the electrical equipment needed. The site will need to be larger than this, as the site will also need access roads, fencing and landscaping.
The proposed site has good access from the main A481 road, it is relatively flat, and it does not have any environmental designations.
The switching station will also be a connection point for the proposed Green GEN Towy Usk 132kV grid connection. This allows us to connect three proposed overhead lines in one place, reducing the amount of infrastructure overall.
The plans for the switching station will be included in the DNS application for the Green GEN Towy Usk grid connection project. To find out more about the switching station, visit: greengentowyusk.com.
During this non-statutory public consultation, from Wednesday 11 September to Wednesday 23 October 2024, we are asking for your feedback on the preferred routes and draft alignments for both the Bryn Gilwern and Aberedw grid connections, along with any other factors you would like us to consider when developing our proposals for the two projects. We are consulting on both projects at the same time, and we’d like to hear your views.
Our non-statutory consultation is open from Wednesday 11 September to Wednesday 23 October 2024.
You can view an interactive map and find out more information about this consultation on our websites. You can view and download project materials that provide more information about our proposals for the Bryn Gilwern and Aberedw Grid connection in our document library.
Bryn Gilwern Grid Connection: www.greengenbryngilwern.com
Aberedw Grid Connection: www.greengenaberedw.com
Come and see us to view more information and to meet and ask questions of our project team. A computer visualisation of the preferred routes will be available to see at the events.
Community event information can be seen in the timetable below:
| Location | Date | Time |
| Howey Village Hall, Howey, Llandrindod Wells LD1 5PT | Thursday 26 September | 2pm - 7pm |
| Hundred House Village Hall, Llandrindod Wells LD1 5RY | Friday 27 September | 2pm - 7pm |
| Aberedw Church Hall, Aberedw, Builth Wells LD2 3UH | Saturday 28 September | 10.30am- 3.30pm |
Detailed feedback from communities and specialist organisations will help us better understand any potential effects of our proposals and is a key part of how we’ll develop the two projects in response to local needs. There are several ways you can provide your feedback or contact us.
Bryn Gilwern Grid Connection: www.greengenbryngilwern.com
Aberedw Grid Connection: www.greengenaberedw.com
All the feedback we receive will be reviewed and carefully considered as we develop our plans.
Please submit your feedback to us by 23:59 on Wednesday 23 October 2024. Any feedback received after this date may not be considered by our team.
Engagement and consultation with local communities and others is an important part of the planning process.
All the feedback we receive from this non-statutory consultation will be carefully considered as we develop our plans, alongside the findings of technical assessments and environmental surveys, and feedback from specialist organisations. These organisations, such as Natural Resources Wales (NRW), will review the decisions we’ve made to date and provide advice to inform our work.
Our next steps will be to develop a more detailed design and alignment for the two new overhead line connections, including finalising locations for the wood poles and any temporary infrastructure that may be required, such as access roads and construction lay-down areas.
We will then carry out detailed technical and environmental studies and hold a statutory public consultation, planned in 2026. We will publish a report summarising the feedback from the non-statutory consultation and how this has influenced our proposals. This will support the next public consultation, when people can provide input on the detailed route alignment, including locations for the wooden poles, access routes and working areas.
New electricity lines of 132kV and above are classed as a Development of National Significance (DNS) in Wales, requiring consent from Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) and final decisions are made by the Welsh Ministers.
We are consulting now to understand people’s views on our preferred routes for the Bryn Gilwern and Aberedw grid connections, and anything you would like us to take into account when planning where the wood poles should go. We are consulting on both overhead line projects together because they will both connect at the same location.
Following the first round of public consultation in Autumn 2024, we’ll carefully consider all feedback received, along with assessments from our environmental and technical surveys. We’ll continue talking to landowners and stakeholders, such as Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the local Planning Authority, to help us review and evolve our proposals. These conversations and engagement will help us to develop a detailed design and alignment for the new overhead line, including locations for the wood poles and temporary access routes and working areas.
Before we submit a consent application to PEDW, there will be a statutory Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) period, where people will be able to review and comment on the updated designs and the draft Environmental Statement.
After considering feedback received in future consultation, we will finalise our proposals and submit two applications for consent to PEDW - one for the Bryn Gilwern connection and one for the Aberedw connection. The Welsh Ministers will then examine our applications in detail and make a decision, which requires their consent under the Developments of National Significance (Wales) Regulations 2016.
Bute Energy’s proposed energy parks will have a combined wind generating capacity of 192 megawatts, enough to power around 175,700 homes and save approximately 261,500 tonnes of carbon per year. The Green GEN Cymru wood pole connections will contribute to a more resilient electricity network, ease pressure on the existing local grid, support businesses, and enable the roll out of green heating and electric vehicles in rural communities.
We are in the early stages of development of this project and no final decisions have been made on where the wood poles will be sited.
This is our first round of consultation, we are asking for your feedback on the preferred routes for both Bryn Gilwern, and Aberedw grid connections, along with any other factors you would like us to consider when developing our proposals for the two projects. It is important that people respond to this consultation and tell us their concerns so we can work to reduce the effects on communities and individual properties.
The final route will be informed by a wide variety of feedback from residents, stakeholders and statutory bodies such as PEDW, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), and others, as well as the results of technical surveys and assessments.
Once we have a final design, we will speak to all landowners affected on a one-to-one basis and discuss how we can support them. We will work hard to reduce impacts on individual properties but if the final design does impact your property, we will discuss what options are available to you in line with current legislation. Please contact us if you have a particular concern.
A changing climate is having a dramatic effect on plants and animals – protecting biodiversity is one of the key drivers for moving away from fossil fuels.
Our proposed network has been carefully designed to take into consideration the ornithology, wildlife and habitats along the route.
We will comply with current guidelines in Wales on achieving a net benefit for biodiversity within the area. We will work closely with the relevant stakeholders to deliver an environmental benefit that goes above and beyond these requirements. We are committed to achieving at least 10% net gain in biodiversity compared to today.
By contributing to a more resilient electricity network and easing pressure on the existing local grid, our new Green GEN Cymru network will support businesses, help to create jobs and stimulate economic growth and enable the roll out of green heating and electric vehicles in rural communities.
We are proudly a Welsh company, and we are committed to investing in Wales and supporting the Welsh economy by directly providing opportunities to the Welsh supply chain wherever possible.
Using green energy to power your home or business can help to lower your energy costs – it’s cheaper than gas and nuclear. And importantly, transitioning to low-carbon energy is crucial for the health of the planet – renewable energy sources produce little to no emissions.
Green GEN Cymru will enable low-carbon generation to be connected to the electricity network and to the homes and businesses where we use it. Once up and running, wind generation is one of the cheapest forms of electricity generation and the proposed Bryn Gilwern and Aberedw Grid Connections will contribute towards controlling our energy prices in the future.
This is our first round of consultation, we are asking for feedback on the preferred routes for both Bryn Gilwern, and Aberedw grid connections, along with any other factors you would like us to consider when developing our proposals for the two projects.
It is important that landowners and communities respond to this consultation and tell us their concerns so we can work to reduce the effects on individual land parcels and communities. Once we have refined our proposals, we will work with all landowners affected to discuss how we can support them. We’ll continue to work hard to reduce impacts on individual land parcels.
If the final design does impact your land, we will discuss what options are available to you in line with current legislation. Please contact us if you have a particular concern.
If the project is consented, construction will begin in 2028, with clean, green energy distributed to homes and business in Wales by 2029.
High-voltage overhead lines can sometimes generate noise, under certain conditions. This often sounds like either a crackle or humming sound and occurs mainly during wet weather.
Noise may occur from wind blowing past the line or wood poles. Any potential noise impacts will be considered as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). We will always ensure that the design of the overhead line considers any impacts on the local community.
Electric Magnetic Fields (EMFs) are produced whenever electricity is used or transmitted. Household wiring, appliances and electricity supply are all sources. So, they are around us all the time in modern life. Overhead lines are a source, but just one of many.
There are limits in place to protect us all against EMF exposure. These limits have been based on careful reviews of the science by independent experts, who recommend safe levels of exposure for the public. The exposure limit for members of the public is 360 microtesla, even if you are standing directly underneath the overhead line, the levels are just a small fraction of the limit. After many decades of research and hundreds of millions of pounds spent investigating the issue, there are no established health effects below the exposure limits. More information is available at www.emfs.info.
We are committed to causing the least disturbance we can to those living and working in the areas affected by our proposals. We will take advice from technical stakeholders and consider the project’s impact on local roads as part of a traffic and transport assessment, which is a requirement of the process we will follow to submit a planning application.
Overhead lines supported on wood poles are relatively straight forward to construct. We will follow established procedures throughout the construction process, carefully working to reduce potential disturbance to local people wherever possible. This will include how we plan to manage construction traffic, including any potential impacts. We recognise the importance of maintaining connectivity between nearby towns and villages and we will ensure that our work does not make it difficult for those living and working in the area.
You can contact the project team at via any of the methods outlined below:
Bryn Gilwern Grid Connection
- Email the project team at info@greengenbryngilwern.com
- Telephone our freephone information line 0800 0129 884 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm)
- Write to us at FREEPOST GREEN GEN BRYN GILWERN (no further address or stamp required)
- You can find out more on our project website www.greengenbryngilwern.com.
Aberedw Grid Connection
- Email the project team at info@greengenaberedw.com
- Telephone our freephone information line 0800 0129 884 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm)
- Write to us at FREEPOST GREEN GEN BRYN ABEREDW (no further address or stamp required)
- You can find out more on our project website www.greengenaberedw.com.
You can also attend one of our public consultation events, speak to a member of the team and fill out a feedback form in person. More details on the community events for the non-statutory consultation can be found here.