David Chadwick MP calls for Green Gen Cymru licence to be revoked

David Chadwick has called on the UK Government to ask Ofgem to review Green Gen Cymru’s electricity transmission licence after farmers raised concerns about the company’s conduct on their land.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe raised the issue during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, November 4, after meeting farmers.

He told MPs: “Last Friday, I met a group of farmers from my constituency who told me about their experiences at the hands of a company called Green GEN Cymru, which has been sending its workers on to their farms at 4am, wearing dirty wellies and showing no regard for biosecurity.”

Mr Chadwick asked whether the Government would “urgently look at revoking its Ofgem licence”.

Responding, Louise Haigh said: “I am happy to take that case away and raise it with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.”

In response, Green Gen Cymru told the B&R said it took concerns raised by landowners and farmers seriously, but had not been provided with evidence to substantiate the biosecurity claims.

In a statement on behalf of Francesca Stuttard, the company’s head of land, it said: “We take any concerns raised by landowners and farmers seriously and will always investigate them appropriately. While a number of allegations have been made relating to biosecurity, we have not to date been provided with evidence substantiating those claims.”

The company said it had a Biosecurity Protocol setting out measures to prevent the spread of livestock disease during survey and access activities.

These include risk assessments, hygiene requirements and site-specific controls, it said. It added that landowners were invited to share information about their sites ahead of surveys so that relevant risks could be considered.

On reports of early-morning visits, Green Gen Cymru said: “Claims that representatives attended farms at 4am are not reflective of standard survey activity.”

It said contractors would typically only be on site at those times for specialist ecological surveys, such as bat surveys, which take place at dawn or dusk and would be carried out in communication with landowners.

The company also referred to judicial review proceedings, saying they had not found that it had acted unlawfully. It said the proceedings recognised “the significant steps we have taken to strengthen our policies, procedures and training”, including in relation to survey access, biosecurity and landowner engagement.

“We remain committed to working constructively with landowners and communities as we develop the infrastructure needed to support Wales’ energy future,” it said.

The company has faced opposition from farmers and landowners over plans for electricity transmission infrastructure across Mid and West Wales.

Mr Chadwick has previously called on UK and Welsh Government ministers to intervene over the plans.

"We have repeatedly called for action to be taken against this company, including the revocation of its Ofgem licence, yet we continue to hear deeply troubling accounts from farmers about its behaviour,” he said.

"The Government cannot simply continue to ignore these concerns while granting companies sweeping powers over people's land.”