An energy company facing sustained opposition to its power line expansion plans has introduced what it describes as a "slim and compact" monopole pylon, designed to reduce visual intrusion on the Welsh landscape.
Green Gen Cymru unveiled the 22-metre-high single-pole structure as an alternative to the 27-metre steel pylons it had previously proposed. The firm says the new design aims to "limit visual impact" while maintaining the capacity to carry significant electricity network loads across mid and west Wales.
The monopole design will be deployed on two of the company's three planned routes for upgrading the electricity grid. The company has drawn inspiration from "monopole designs commonly used across Europe", which are described as single-pole structures engineered to carry substantial electricity capacity within a compact footprint.
Green Gen Cymru's proposals have generated considerable controversy since 2022, with communities along the planned routes mounting protests and legal challenges. The company's plans involve more than 200 kilometres of overhead line, according to reporting on the project. The dispute has escalated beyond community opposition into the courts, with more than 500 farmers challenging the company's approach.
Most recently, the High Court ruled on 6 July 2026 that Green Gen Cymru used an "unduly broad" notice in its attempt to access farmer land for surveys, adding further legal pressure to the project.
How does the new design compare to existing options?
The proposed monopoles stand 5 metres shorter than the traditional steel pylons the company originally planned to install. Wooden-pole alternatives, which some communities favour, typically reach around 12 metres in height but can carry less electricity capacity.
Using monopoles rather than wooden structures would require fewer overhead lines overall, the company argues, thereby reducing impacts on farmland and the surrounding landscape. The firm has maintained that relying solely on underground cables is prohibitively expensive and would cause significant disruption during installation.
The new monopoles will feature on the Towy Usk and Towy Teifi projects as part of a broader "toolkit" that also incorporates wooden poles, underground cables and traditional steel pylons. According to a route visualiser published by opponents, the Towy-Usk route would require 359 pylons while the Towy-Teifi route would need 190 structures. Four monopoles would be required per kilometre of line.
What do local residents think of the design?
Opinion among those affected by the proposals remains divided. Passers-by in Carmarthen offered mixed reactions to computer-simulated images of the new pylons.
Georgia Rollinson, 27, who already has a pylon visible from her bedroom window, said the new design appeared "a little bit better" than existing structures.
"I think I'd prefer that to one of the others. It might blend in better. If people want to live in the modern world with the television and internet then they have to have some sacrifices somewhere - even if it is a pylon in the middle of a field."
Anthony Read, 69, acknowledged the visual improvement but remained sceptical about the overall approach.
"They certainly do look smaller and better but ideally put them underground if you can. It's all down to cost but if something's hidden it's better for the environment."
Phillip Richardson, 78, questioned whether the redesign represented genuine progress.
"Why spend money replacing [pylons] with something that's only marginally better? I can't see them being better for the environment - it's a waste of money and could be better spent."
Robin Daniels, 58, took a more pragmatic view of the energy infrastructure challenge.
"They looked "a lot better than the traditional ones you see across the landscape". We've got to decarbonise and the electricity's got to move somehow. Burying the cables is expensive so if this is an alternative to make it a bit less of an eyesore, it's probably a good idea."
What is the political context?
The Welsh government, led by Plaid Cymru following May's Senedd election, campaigned against large-scale steel pylons and pledged in its manifesto to establish "a clear presumption in favour of undergrounding" new power lines. The party's policy states that "overhead alternatives" would only be permitted "where installation is via low wooden poles or equivalent, less intrusive infrastructure".
Guto Davies, head of external affairs at Green Gen Cymru, said the company had been prompted to develop the alternative design by multiple considerations.
"Engineering and environmental implications, the community feedback and of course the political landscape in which we're operating" had all influenced the decision, he explained. "We've tried to test ourselves to find an innovative approach" that would help "deliver for Wales' economic, productivity and decarbonisation ambitions whilst also making sure we build around the needs of the communities that are hosting this infrastructure"."
Stephen Rowlands, the company's head of construction and supply chain, highlighted potential economic benefits for Wales.
"There is "a real opportunity for Welsh industry to play a leading role" in developing and delivering the new pylons. "As we take the monopole forward, we want to harness the skills, expertise and manufacturing capability that exists here in Wales."
The Welsh government declined to comment on the specific proposals, stating it would be "inappropriate" to do so given the role of Welsh ministers in the planning process.
"We are developing a National Energy Strategy so Wales can meet its energy demand sustainably and with more benefit to the people and communities of Wales."
What do campaign groups say?
Opposition groups remain unconvinced that the redesign addresses their fundamental concerns. Dr Jonathan Dean, from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, argued that the new monopole design would not satisfy opponents of the company's broader plans.
"It is still a major piece of infrastructure in the countryside,"he stated. He also noted that separate proposals for new transmission lines under consideration by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) could render Green Gen's plans "utterly redundant".
Farmer Dyfan Walters, who lives near one of the company's proposed pylon routes on the outskirts of Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, maintained that undergrounding remained the only acceptable option.
"Undergrounding is the only option that we would consider and that is very much aligned to the Plaid Cymru policy"."However, he acknowledged that the company's willingness to modify its original design represented a concession to community pressure.
"The fact the company had been forced to change its original plans should be viewed as "a win for the community"."
What happens next?
Green Gen Cymru plans to have a prototype of the new monopole design ready for installation in early 2027, allowing communities to see the structure in practice. The company intends to invest nearly £1 billion by 2030 across three major power line routes connecting onshore wind farms planned by its sister company Bute Energy to the wider grid network. The proposals affect parts of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Powys and Shropshire.
The legal challenges to the company's approach continue to advance through the courts. On 6 July 2026, farmers were described as "vindicated" after the High Court ruling against Green Gen Cymru, demonstrating that the dispute has moved well beyond initial protests into formal legal proceedings.
Key Facts
- Green Gen Cymru's new monopole design stands 22 metres high, compared to the 27-metre steel pylons previously proposed and 12-metre wooden alternatives
- The company's plans involve more than 200 kilometres of overhead line affecting Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Powys and Shropshire, with more than 500 farmers challenging the proposals
- The Welsh government, led by Plaid Cymru, has pledged to favour undergrounding of new power lines, restricting overhead alternatives to low wooden poles or equivalent infrastructure
- A High Court ruling on 6 July 2026 found that Green Gen Cymru used an "unduly broad" notice when attempting to access farmer land for surveys
- A prototype monopole is expected to be ready for community viewing in early 2027
