A CAMPAIGN group set up to oppose green energy proposals for a network of wind turbines and electricity pylons through Mid Wales, say they say were heartened by community engagement during the Royal Welsh Show.

The ‘RE-Think: Don't Break the Heart of Wales’ group was born earlier this year when Bute Energy unleashed controversial plans to build the Nant Mithil Energy Park – a new 36-turbine wind farm and substation in the middle of the Radnor Forest.

Bute subsidiary Green GEN Cymru is planning a 60-mile network of pylons through Powys to link the wind farm to Carmarthen, while other plans suggest a total of 21 energy parks have been registered with Companies House under companies associated with Cardiff-based Bute Energy.

RE-Think, which has 760 members on Facebook, said more than 700 people spoke to them at a stand at the Royal Welsh Show - and said many people signed a Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) petition calling on the Welsh Government to pause onshore wind and solar projects above 10MW until the full potential of off-shore wind is included.

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“We were hugely encouraged by the number of people – over 700 – who visited our stand and were prepared to engage in meaningful discussion with us about Bute Energy's proposals,” said the chair of RE-think, Jenny Chryss.

“There is clearly a huge amount of concern about the implications of this for Mid Wales and further afield.

“People expressing fears about the proposals came from a very wide area; some had Bute's energy park or power line proposals on their doorsteps but many visited Wales or Mid Wales as tourists and worried about what the future held. 

“Others were just shocked at the environmental and ecological damage that would be caused. I would like to thank everyone for engaging with us and all the many volunteers who came forward to help us.” 

Jenny added: “The best thing really was that many people coming to the stand had seen our banners, bale stickers and boards en route to the show and came to the stand to find out more.

“We had scores, probably hundreds, of very engaging discussions with people on both sides of the argument and those who didn't know about it or were not sure what to think.

“The majority of visitors supported our position, but I fully accept that this is likely to be partly because of self-selection. Even those who didn't, almost all were entirely prepared engage in a sensible discussion."

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Bute Energy wants to build 132kV 27-metre high pylons linking the Nant Mithil Energy Park to the National Grid in Carmarthenshire. They are also proposing 220m high wind turbines in the Radnor Forest and also numerous other locations such as Aberedw Hill, near Builth Wells, and Gilwern, overlooking Llandrindod Wells and Howey.

In June, Green GEN Cymru thanked the Powys public for participating in the first round of consultation.

They said more than 2,500 people took part in an initial round on the proposed Green GEN Towy Usk renewable energy network, which took place over 6sixeeks between March and April.

The company said feedback will be considered, with a second round of public consultation expected to take place in early 2024.