National Grid needs to reinforce and refurbish parts of the existing high voltage power network in North Wales. This work is part of The Great Grid Upgrade- the largest overhaul of the grid in generations.

Enabling a clean energy future for Wales

National Grid needs to reinforce and refurbish parts of the high voltage power network in North Wales.

The way electricity is generated in the UK is changing rapidly to a cleaner, more affordable and more secure energy system for the future.

It is predicted that demand for electricity will at least double by 2050 as we shift to clean energy to heat our homes, drive electric vehicles and power our industry.

The Welsh Government wants to meet the equivalent of 70 per cent of Wales’s electricity demand from renewable energy sources by 2030. The UK Government has also set a commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and an ambition to connect 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030.

The existing transmission system was largely built in the 1960s and was designed to connect electricity mainly generated in coal-fired power stations to homes in Wales and England.

To allow new sources of renewable energy to be connected to the network, we need to reinforce and refurbishthe existing electricity network between Pentir and Trawsfynydd. This will help to keep the network secure by enabling more clean energy to be delivered to homes and businesses.

This is a major project, and it is essential that the strengthened connection is in place by 2030.

This is part of The Great Grid Upgrade, the largest overhaul of the electricity grid in generations, comprising 17 major infrastructure projects across Wales and England. Progress towards green electricity is the most effective way to ensure energy affordability, with homegrown renewable power expected to help to lower energy bills in the long term.

You can read more about our work and our latest plans here.

We currently expect construction to start in spring 2026, though this is dependent on us obtaining the permissions, licences and other agreements.
 

Project timeline

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The permissions we will need

We need planning permissions for the different elements of our project from Cyngor Gwynedd and Eryri National Park. Consent will also be required for the work from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).

We have now completed the statutory Pre-Application Consultations for the elements of the project set out at the top of this page. These consultations were undertaken in line with Welsh Government legislation, and we formally consulted landowners and adjoining landowners, local councillors and community councils, as well as specialist consultees.