Wales plans to ban steel pylons as government launches consultation — SkimNews
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Welsh government launched a consultation to ban steel lattice pylons for new electricity lines up to 132 kV, proposing undergrounding as the preferred option to reduce visual and environmental impact
- Plaid Cymru supported the ban as a manifesto pledge, advocating for buried cables to protect Welsh landscapes and local amenity, particularly in sensitive areas like the Towy Valley
- Green Gen Cymru welcomed the consultation but emphasized that undergrounding costs 4.5 times more than overhead lines, citing a £500m added cost for its Towy Usk project
- Adam Price, Welsh Energy Minister, stated the goal is to deploy sensitively designed infrastructure that minimizes environmental and community impacts while supporting energy transition
- Andrew Hardcastle of Green Gen Cymru stressed there is no one-size-fits-all solution, advocating for use of wooden poles, monopoles, and underground cables depending on location
- Vikki Howells of Welsh Labour noted undergrounding can cost five times more, warning it could raise electricity prices and hinder decarbonization efforts
- Llandovery Pylon Group campaigners welcomed the consultation, arguing underground infrastructure would reduce harm to agriculture, tourism, and climate resilience
Why it matters: The policy shift could redirect billions in grid investment toward costly underground cabling, benefiting rural communities and conservation but raising energy costs and delivery timelines. With Green Gen’s £1bn pipeline at stake, the outcome will shape how Wales balances decarbonization with landscape protection.
Ask SkimNews
