Ofgem grant Green GEN Cymru a licence to distribute electricity

Local community groups set up to oppose plans to inflict hideous steel pylons across Wales have informed the Countryside Alliance that Ofgem have granted Green GEN (Cymru) an IDNO licence - a licence to distribute electricity.

Ofgem opened a statutory consultation on amendments to the licence they proposed to grant on 8 April 2024, which closed on 7 May 2024. Despite considerable opposition and concerns raised with Ofgem, it seems the regulator and granting authority have issued the licence, according to paperwork dated 5 July 2024.

It is believed that this licence only allows survey work to be undertaken and does not mean that the pylon route is a fait accompli - far from it.

In response to the granting of the licence, local landowners are determined to hold their ground and not allow Green GEN(Cymru) access to their property. Speaking to the Countryside Alliance, one landowner who wishes to remain anonymous said:

“I have been to every consultation session and responded formally to the consultations, they (Green GEN Cymru) have not taken on board the strong message from me and others that the pylons are not welcome. The answer is undergrounding the cables but they have completely refused to cost this in for the line.

They will not be accessing my land, I will do all I can, as will my neighbours, to make this as difficult a job as possible for them.”

From the outset of the proposal by Green Gen Cymru to install pylons from the Radnor Forest to a substation in Llandyfaelog, they have been met with fierce opposition from the general public and politicians. The whole approach has been tainted since landowners took to social media, accusing the company and their land agents of bullying and harassment at the farm gate.

Furthermore, the consultations that have been held across the proposed route have been far from adequate, with members of the public complaining of a lack of important information, a variance in the answers given by those representing Green Gen Cymru to simple questions, and that none of the responses have been formally recorded by the company.

On 9 July, Bute Energy were set to host a reception at the Senedd which was described on the Senedd website as “an evening reception to celebrate working in partnership with communities to deliver green energy generation and infrastructure. A sustainable world for now, for future generation”. However, the title circulated pre-event had changed dramatically to an event titled “Green Skills Strategy” focusing on “education and opportunities for younger people”.

I am sure you are as amused as I am at their original offering at the Senedd – I wonder why the event was so dramatically changed?

Please do contact your community groups for the next steps as landowners prepare to hold their ground - dal dy dir.

A link to the licence on the Ofgem website can be found here.