The Welsh government is seeking public input on establishing a consolidated state-owned renewable energy company that would develop, finance and operate wind and solar projects across Wales. The proposed entity would bring together existing Welsh energy schemes, including Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru (TGC) and Ynni Cymru, with the aim of keeping more energy wealth within Wales while supporting community ownership and reducing long-term energy costs.
The Welsh Government launched the public consultation on 7 September 2026, with responses accepted until 30 November 2026. The initiative does not seek to replace existing energy suppliers or directly control household electricity prices, but rather to own renewable assets and help communities take ownership stakes in energy projects.
Enterprise Minister Adam Price outlined the government's vision to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, stating that Wales should develop an energy system that was
clean, cheap and owned by us. He emphasised that the new company would consolidate expertise and resources to create meaningful change in Wales's energy landscape.
How would the new company operate?
The proposed Welsh Public Energy Company would develop and own renewable energy installations on land controlled by the Welsh government and potentially take stakes in larger schemes including offshore wind, marine energy and nuclear projects. The company is being designed to finance, own and operate projects while supporting local and community ownership of renewables.
According to the consultation document, the company's purpose would encompass helping Wales reduce energy costs over time by developing and owning renewable energy assets, supporting local and community ownership, investing in smart local energy systems, helping more organisations use locally generated energy, and attracting investment into Welsh energy infrastructure.
The consultation asks whether TGC should form the basis of the new company and whether it should retain its existing name or adopt the Ynni Cymru brand. It also proposes establishing a Welsh Energy Wealth Fund to allow energy projects to support vulnerable people in Wales and those living in areas where projects are being delivered.
What existing projects would be involved?
TGC is currently advancing several renewable energy schemes on Welsh government-owned land. These include proposed wind farms at Carreg Wen near Aberdare and Glyn Cothi in Carmarthenshire, for which the Welsh Government has already approved landowner option agreements. The company is also developing the Larnog solar farm in Lavernock, which underwent informal community consultation in late 2025 and early 2026.
The Welsh government already owns TGC as a renewable onshore wind and solar developer. By consolidating TGC with other existing Welsh energy schemes such as Ynni Cymru, which aims to expand locally-owned renewables, the government intends to create a single entity with greater capacity and resources.
How does this fit into Wales's broader energy strategy?
The Welsh Government's National Energy Strategy emphasises that more clean energy in Wales should be owned in Wales, and the creation of the Welsh Public Energy Company directly supports this approach. The strategy also commits to developing TGC into a single national energy company to grow community and local ownership of renewables.
Price told BBC Radio Wales that Wales had been an energy giant during the Industrial Revolution with coal, but that Welsh people had not derived the full benefit from that wealth. He stated:
We don't want to make the same mistake with the huge potential that Wales has in this new energy revolution with renewable energy.
The minister acknowledged that many energy levers are controlled at UK level, but argued that energy produced by a public energy company could enable lower energy prices through agreements with large local energy users. The new company would operate separately from Great British Energy, the UK government's energy company established in 2024.
What are the political commitments behind this proposal?
During the 2026 election campaign, Plaid Cymru promised that renewable energy projects would need to offer local communities a share of their profits if approved by a Plaid-led Welsh government. The party had previously faced criticism from Labour for opposing green energy infrastructure for Wales, such as pylons.
Plaid Cymru committed to establishing a strong presumption in favour of undergrounding cables and the use of wooden poles where necessary. This consultation represents a key step in delivering on those campaign commitments while establishing mechanisms for community benefit from renewable energy development.
What is the opposition saying?
Janet Finch-Saunders, Welsh Conservative energy spokesperson, criticised the proposal, arguing that while manufacturing jobs are being lost across Wales, the government's response is to create another state-owned company and expand wind turbines and solar farms. She contended that
Wales needs cheap, reliable energy to keep factories open, businesses competitive and household bills down.
What happens next?
Members of the public are invited to submit their views on the proposals during the 12-week consultation period, which runs until 30 November 2026. Following the consultation, the Welsh government will review responses and determine the structure and governance of the new company.
TGC continues to advance individual projects in parallel. A statutory pre-application consultation for the Larnog solar farm was scheduled for summer 2026, with the company planning to present a full draft planning application as part of the standard planning process.
Key Facts
- The Welsh Government consultation on creating a consolidated Welsh Public Energy Company opened on 7 September 2026 and closes on 30 November 2026
- The new company would consolidate Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, Ynni Cymru and other Welsh energy schemes into a single entity to develop and own renewable energy projects
- The company would not replace existing energy suppliers or directly set household electricity prices, but would support community ownership and long-term cost reduction
- Existing projects under development include wind farms at Carreg Wen and Glyn Cothi, and a solar farm at Larnog
- The proposal aligns with the Welsh Government's National Energy Strategy commitment to ensure more clean energy in Wales is owned in Wales
