Overview Report ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// November 2014
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Brechfa Forest Connection Project Overview Report ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// November 2014 1 Overview Report Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................... 4 2. The project .................................................................... 6 3. Technology options ....................................................... 8 4. The environment ........................................................... 10 5. Consultation so far ........................................................ 12 6. Statutory consultation ................................................... 13 7. The proposed scheme .................................................. 15 Section A ...................................................................... 16 Section B ...................................................................... 26 Section C ...................................................................... 30 8. Have your say ............................................................... 42 9. Events and information ................................................. 43 10. Documents .................................................................. 44 11. Next steps ................................................................... 46 2 3 Overview Report 1. Introduction This report has been written to provide an Brechfa Forest was identified by the Welsh Government in 2005 as one of seven areas of Wales overview of the Brechfa Forest Connection with the potential for large wind power generation. Project and to explain how you can access Brechfa Forest was identified as Strategic Search Area G in the Welsh Government’s Technical Advice further information about the consultation. The Note (TAN) 8: Planning for Renewable Energy (2005). report provides the details of the consultation events taking place and how you can tell us Western Power Distribution is the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) for South Wales and what you think about the project. holder of an electricity distribution licence. As such, we are legally obliged to offer a connection to any wind farm developers that request one from TAN 8 Electricity consumption has been steadily rising Strategic Search Area G. WPD is solely an electricity over the last 20 years and the UK is facing a huge distribution company and does not hold an interest in challenge to ensure we have enough energy to meet the wind farm or sell or buy the generated electricity. our current and future needs while at the same time tackling climate change. In 2011, WPD was asked by wind farm developers, RWE Innogy UK Ltd (RWE) and Renewable Energy The Government believes that wind generated Systems Ltd (RES), to provide a connection from three electricity will help meet the country’s increasing proposed wind farms in the Brechfa Forest area of demand for energy and at the same time help the UK Carmarthenshire to the electricity network. This new meet its renewable energy targets. connection is the Brechfa Forest Connection Project. 4 5 Overview Report Overview Report 2. The project WPD is required to connect a new wind farm in In October 2014, the developer of Brechfa Forest East The overhead line part of the connection would be Wind Farm, RWE, decided to remove the connection made using a combination of single and twin wood pole The proposed overhead line runs from the existing the Brechfa Forest area of Carmarthenshire to that wind farm from this project. If and when that structures, as this would help to reduce any potential line near Llandyfaelog in a north-east direction, to the electricity distribution network. The development comes forward it will be consulted on visual impact on the countryside and also minimise passing between Idole and Banc y Capel. It then separately and will require a separate development the wider environmental impact of the connection. As passes to the east of Cwmffrwd and then runs north most efficient, coordinated and economic consent order. The connection for Brechfa Forest a general rule, twin wood pole structures would be towards the Towy Valley. The connection then goes way of doing this is a single circuit, three East Wind Farm will not therefore be consulted upon required where the route of the line changes direction underground just south of the B4300 and crosses any further as part of this proposed development. and single wood poles would be used for the majority under the River Towy, continuing underground past phase 132,000 volt (132kV) connection. of the rest of the route. The typical height of the wood Carmarthen and Abergwili. Following each of the requests to withdraw by RES poles would be 15 metres. The maximum height of the The new wind farm, Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm, and RWE we reassessed the strategic options for wood poles would be 19.5 metres, although they would The connection then returns to overhead line about will be built by RWE and is centred on the Afon Pib the connection of Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm. be lower than this along much of the route. 1km south of Peniel and roughly follows the A485 valley, east of Alltwalis. Classified as a nationally This review concluded that the conductor (wire) size passing Peniel, Rhydargaeau and Pontarsais. significant infrastructure project (NSIP), it received could be reduced from 300mm to 200mm and that The connection point near Llandyfaelog was The proposed route turns east before arriving at consent from the Secretary of State for Energy and it would not need to be supported entirely on twin identified as part of a detailed review of the technical Alltwalis and then runs east into the Brechfa Forest Climate Change in March 2013. wood poles, but could use predominantly single constraints carried out in 2012. The existing overhead and on to the wind farm substation. poles with occasional twin poles. This is the minimum line runs from near Llandyfaelog to Swansea North The 132kV connection was originally required to construction standard and specification that WPD Substation, via the New Lodge Substation at Burry Between Friday, 28 November 2014 and Friday, 16 connect three proposed wind farms to the electricity builds for 132kV overhead lines. Port. By connecting to this point near Llandyfaelog, January 2015 we will undertake statutory consultation network, but in May 2014 RES withdrew its connection our proposed scheme would be significantly shorter of the detailed route, also referred to as the “proposed request for Bryn Llywelyn Wind Farm after its appeal The new 28.6km long 132kV line would than the originally identified connection directly into development”. More information about this seven-week against planning permission refusal was dismissed. consist of 25.2km of overhead line and 3.4km Swansea North Substation. statutory consultation can be found in our Statement of of underground cable. Community Consultation, which we published in mid- November 2014. This is the third round of consultation WPD has carried out and follows a round of consultation events in summer 2013 with elected representatives and community user groups and public consultation events in early 2014. 6 7 Overview Report Overview Report 3. Technology options As a distribution network operator WPD The typical span or distance between the wood poles Where the sections of cable are joined, an inspection This figure is based on a detailed study carried would be around 80-100m, although the spans can is regulated by Ofgem, the electricity and pit with a manhole cover at ground level would also out for this project, and a copy of the report can be longer than this if the poles are made taller. The be required. be found in the library section of our website gas markets regulator. This means that we maximum span between poles would be 180m. (www.westernpower.co.uk/brechfaforest). must fulfil various statutory duties, ensure The routeing of underground cables may be restricted A wood pole line would be constructed using standard by buildings and developments, topography, soil type Fault detection on underground cables can be time value for money for our customers and, 4x4 vehicles and agricultural machinery and would not or existing land use. There may also be valuable consuming and, even once located, they can take normally require the removal of hedgerows. under the Electricity Act (1989), develop habitats or cultural heritage sites that could be affected several weeks to repair. This would mean that the by ground disturbance. wind farms would not be able to generate electricity and maintain an efficient, coordinated and while the fault is being located and repaired. The The average cost for building an overhead line is economical electricity network. work can also cause temporary disturbance to £150,000 per kilometre. The average cost for undergrounding cables on the landowner. terrain similar to that of Carmarthenshire is £986,000 WPD is also required to “consider the desirability of per kilometre. preserving amenity” when planning a new electricity Once a connection is built there are no restrictions connection. This means we need to consider the placed on landowners with regard to crops that can be impact our work might have on visual amenity, cultural grown, and few limitations on the machinery that can heritage, ecology, landscape and the local communities be used on the land. in that area. In the event of a fault occurring on an overhead line, it is We must therefore ensure that we consider all of these relatively