Statutory consultation launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Project
Green GEN Cymru has launched the statutory consultation for its proposed Vyrnwy Frankton Project. The consultation is open from 19 February to 16 April 2025.
Green GEN Cymru's proposed network looks to unlock the country’s energy potential add much needed grid capacity and support, accelerate and enable the net zero transition.
Green GEN Cymru's proposed network looks to unlock the country’s energy potential add much needed grid capacity and support, accelerate and enable the net zero transition.
The Vyrnwy Frankton project would connect renewable energy to the electricity network for supply to homes, hospitals, schools, businesses, and communities.
The project includes a new substation near Cefn Coch in Powys, a section of underground cable and sealing end compound, a 132 kV overhead line and a switching station to connect to the national electricity network near to Lower Frankton, Shropshire.
The new connection will also become part of a more resilient network for the region – creating capacity to support local investment and providing for a future in which the demand for electricity will increase significantly to heat homes and buildings, and to charge domestic and agricultural vehicles.
Residents and stakeholders can find out more about the Vyrnwy Frankton Project on its website: www.greengenvyrnwyfrankton.com. There will also be a series of community events where people will be able to talk to the project and view a digital 3D model of the route.
Following the feedback received during the first stage of consultation and further environmental and technical assessments, the plans have developed and now include more detail on where the new infrastructure could go, including pylon locations and temporary construction compounds.
The more detailed design will give people a much better sense of what the connection could look like from where they live. Green GEN Cymru is now asking people to provide their feedback on the proposals so it can continue to look at ways to managing the effects of the connection.
Sean Taylor, Senior Project Manager of the Vyrnwy Frankton Project, said:
“We’ve carefully considered areas you said were important for tourism and recreation – the route is planned to keep effects on these as low we can, while balancing effects on landscape and the environment.
“You wanted us to think about effects on communities – we have carefully considered views to and from villages in designing the connection. As much as possible, we’ve used woodland and the natural shape of the landscape to help reduce potential visual effects for communities.
“The project is still open to influence – we’re committed to working closely with local communities and stakeholders as we develop our plans to keep the impacts for local people as low as we can.”
It is expected that this will be the final route-wide consultation before the application is submitted for planning consent.