Gwynedd - Compulsory Purchase Order

THE NATIONAL GRID ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION PLC

(PENTIR TO TRAWSFYNYDD REINFORCEMENT AND REFURBISHMENT PROJECT)
COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER 2026
The Electricity Act 1989
The Acquisition of Land Act 1981
Compulsory Purchase of Land and New Rights

1. Notice is hereby given that National Grid Electricity Transmission plc has made the National Grid Electricity Transmission plc (Pentir to Trawsfynydd Reinforcement and Refurbishment Project) Compulsory Purchase Order 2026 under Section 10 and paragraph 1 of Schedule 3 of the Electricity Act 1989 (“the 1989 Act”). It is about to submit this order to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero for confirmation, and if confirmed, the order will authorise National Grid Electricity Transmission plc to purchase compulsorily the land and the new rights described below for the purpose of carrying on the activities authorised by its transmission licence under the 1989 Act and more specifically for the Pentir to Trawsfynydd Reinforcement and Refurbishment Project (“the Project”).

2. The Project involves the replacement and reinforcement of existing overhead lines and cables, and the installation of new cables and overhead line, between the existing Pentir and Trawsfynydd substations and a new substation at Bryncir in North West Wales. The Project is approximately 45 km long and encompasses the following works:

a. Pentir Substation - replacement and installation of underground cables and ancillary works;

b. Bryncir - new substation with access road, landscaping, tower repositioning, fibre connection, and new 132 kV underground/overhead line connection and removal of a redundant section of overhead line;

c. Glaslyn Cables - extension and construction of cable sealing end compounds, new permanent access routes, removal of the existing Garth compound, installation of two new 400 kV cable circuits replacing existing 400 kV and 132 kV cables (to be decommissioned, made safe and in part retained), connection to and modifications to the existing Eryri Visual Impact Provision tunnel head house, and associated landscaping and ecological mitigation;

d. Trawsfynydd Substation - new underground cables, cable sealing ends, shunt reactor, gantry, and access road widening within the existing fenced compound;

e. Overhead Line Works - reconductoring, fitting replacement, and earthwire replacement with optical ground wire on the 4ZC overhead electricity line between towers 4ZC005-4ZC027 and towers 4ZC044-4ZC070, plus fibre optic cable installation between towers 4ZC070-4ZC140;

f. Temporary Flood Mitigation - two temporary pumping stations and associated flood management works to over-pump flood waters from Y Cyt and Afon Glaslyn into Llyn Bach during cable installation; together with new and improved access roads, temporary construction compounds, footpath diversions, landscaping, ecological mitigation and environmental management works, mitigation land, and related apparatus, works and infrastructure to facilitate the transmission of electricity within and across the network.

3. A copy of the order and of the maps referred to therein have been deposited at:

and may be viewed at all reasonable hours.

4. A copy of the order and of the order maps and the Statement of Reasons may be viewed online at: https://www.nationalgrid.com/electricity-transmission/network-and-infrastructure/pentir-thrawsfynydd or by scanning the QR code above.

5. Any objection to the order must be made in writing to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero: Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Energy Infrastructure Planning Delivery Team, 3-8 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2AW and/or by e-mail to: compulsorypurchaseorders@energysecurity.gov.uk before Wednesday 2nd December 2026 and should state the title of the order, the grounds of objection, the objector’s address and interests in the land.

DESCRIPTION OF LAND AND THE NEW RIGHTS
Land to be acquired:
Bryncir, Gwynedd: agricultural land, scrubland, hedgerows, adopted highway and verge, sections of the Afon Dwyfach riverbed and banks, overhead electricity lines and a public right of way. The land lies south of the A487 and is east of Melin Llecheiddior, the land can also be described as land adjacent to electricity towers 4ZC067 and 4ZC068, and B4411/Ffordd Caernarfon. Penmorfa, Gwynedd: an electricity Cable Sealing End Compound (CSEC), tower 4ZC044, overhead electricity lines, access track, agricultural land, woodland and scrubland. The land is north-east of Bryn-y-wern and south of St Beuno’s Church.

Minffordd, Gwynedd: hardstanding, operational and non-operational land, grassland, watercourses, woodland and hedges at the HOCHTIEF SVIP Site Office and Garth CSEC, near Quarry Lane and Syenite Terrace, Minffordd. Parts are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Common to all plots - The land includes mines and minerals where so described in the Schedule. Any interests excluded as identified in the Order and the Schedule are not to be acquired. 

The following Rights:
Rights for the purpose of reinforcing and refurbishing the existing overhead electricity line between National Grid Pentir Substation and Trawsfynydd Substation, Gwynedd, including the installation of new cable infrastructure the removal of existing overhead line at Bryncir, and the decommissioning, removal, making safe and retention in situ of existing cable infrastructure between Penmorfa and Minffordd, together with associated access, working area, construction compound, drainage, flood mitigation and landscaping and ecological mitigation works.

These rights are described in more detail in the Order and Schedule and labelled as follows: “Overhead Line Rights”, “Access Rights”, “Working Area Rights”, “Cable Infrastructure Rights”, “Cable Infrastructure Decommissioning Rights”, “Landscaping and Ecological Mitigation Rights”, “Flood Mitigation Rights”, “Drainage Rights” and “Construction Compound Rights”.

The land over which the new rights are sought comprises principally agricultural land, woodland, scrubland, hedgerows, verges, access tracks, hardstanding, operational electricity infrastructure, stonewalls, ditches, public adopted highways, public rights of way, riverbeds and banks, the estuary of the Afon Glaslyn, the bed and banks of Llyn Tecwyn Uchaf, railway land, public open space, playing fields and common land, parts of which are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

The land runs from Pentir Substation in a generally south westerly direction, crossing the Afon Rhythallt and the A4086 near Cwm-y-glo, passing Ceunant and crossing the A4085, the Afon Gwyrfai and the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway near Waunfawr. 

The line of route then passes Rhostryfan and Rhosgadfan, crossing the Afon Llifon near Carmel, the B4418 and the Afon Llyfni at Penygroes, and proceeds south through Llanllyfni, crossing the Afon Crychddwr, and Nasareth and along the A487 by Pant Glas, crossing the disused railway (Lôn Eifion) and the Afon Dwyfach, to Bryncir, where it crosses the B4411. 

From Bryncir the route crosses the Afon Dwyfor near Dolbenmaen and continues by Gell, Pentrefelin and Penmorfa to Porthmadog, where the rights extend on either side of the Porthmadog Bypass (A487), across Y Cyt, the Welsh Highland Railway and the Afon Glaslyn estuary, to Garth Cable Compound at Minffordd, north of the Ffestiniog Railway. 

The route then proceeds east past Llyn Tecwyn Uchaf near Maentwrog, crossing the A496, and through Bryn Bwbach before reaching Trawsfynydd Substation, west of the A470 near Gellilydan, Blaenau Ffestiniog. Common to all plots: The new rights include, where so described in the Schedule, rights to prevent, interfere with or restrict the working of mines and minerals. Any interests excluded as identified in the Order and the Schedule are not affected by the new rights.

Dated 21 October 2026

Signed:
John Lamb
Project Director
National Grid Electricity Transmission plc