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Upgrades are needed to the existing network between
Pentir and Trawsfynydd to provide cleaner,
home-grown and a more secure energy network which will boost
the local economy and create jobs.
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The proposals, part of The Great Grid Upgrade, are
required to reinforce and refurbish parts of the high voltage
power network in North Wales.
Following submission in early December of three planning
applications to Gwynedd Council and an application to Eryri
National Park Authority on proposals to reinforce and refurbish
the existing electricity network between Pentir and Trawsfynydd
in North Wales, National Grid has received confirmation that all
applications have now been validated by the respective Local
Planning Authorities.
Planning application validation is the initial check by a
local council to ensure a submitted planning application is
complete and includes all required documentation and assessments
and has been correctly made before being officially processed.
The upgrades are part of The Great Grid Upgrade, a
major transformation of the UK's electricity network. They will
help to meet growing energy demand, ease pressure on the current
network, support Wales' clean power and energy security goals,
and lower constraint costs - extra costs when grid capacity is
insufficient to move power to where it is needed. These upgrades
will help boost local economies, create jobs and deliver a more
secure network, connecting cleaner energy from more affordable
sources to homes and businesses.
John Lamb, Director for Pentir to Trawsfynydd,
said: “We are pleased to have reached a significant
milestone for our Pentir to Trawsfynydd project.
“We need to reinforce and refurbish the existing electricity
network between Pentir and Trawsfynydd to meet rising electricity
demand and allow new sources of cleaner, home-grown energy from
more affordable sources to reach homes and businesses. This will
help to enable a clean energy future for Wales, make our energy
supply more secure, independent and deliver long-term benefits to
bill payers.”
The planning applications for the four main elements of the
project are:
- Installing new and replacement underground cables and other
equipment within the existing substation site at
Pentir
- Replacing 5.8km of underground cables that run beneath the
Glaslyn Estuary at Porthmadog from Wern to Minffordd
- Constructing a new substation south of Bryncir
- Installing new and replacement underground cables and other
equipment within the existing substation site at
Trawsfynydd.
The submission of the planning applications follows a series of
public information events National Grid held in May which
provided the local community with the opportunity to understand
our plans, meet the project team and ask questions.
In line with Welsh Government requirements, we also held
statutory pre-application consultations for 28 days in September.
This allowed us to consult on our draft applications and receive
comments that have helped refine our plans ahead of submitting
our planning applications.
We anticipate decisions on our planning applications early next
year and, subject to the applications being approved,
construction will begin in Summer 2026 with the project scheduled
to be fully operational in 2030.
To learn more about the proposals visit www.nationalgrid.com/Pentir-Trawsfynydd
