Farming Talk: Seek advice to avoid getting a massive shock

Farmers and landowners should seek professional advice before allowing electricity apparatus to be installed or repositioned on their property.

SP Manweb has instigated a process of consulting local communities about proposals to connect a number of new wind farms in North Wales to the electricity grid and we are urging farmers to tread carefully before signing any agreements.

SP Manweb has agreements in place with four of the wind farm developers to provide them with a connection to the electricity network.

We understand these are at Clocaenog, Brenig, Nant Bach and Derwedd Bach.

This will require a new substation to collect the power from the wind farms and a new 132,000 volt (132kV) connection to the existing electricity network at St Asaph.

At present three route broad corridors are being considered and detail of the preferred corridors are likely to be released for further consultation in the autumn.

In the meantime, farmers and landowners should be wary of signing any standard electricity wayleave to allow new apparatus to be installed or to allow existing lines/cables to be modified until they have sought professional advice.

Advice should also be sought as soon as any wayleave is requested for any length of new overhead electricity line or buried cable, staywire, pole or pylon to be installed on your property.

Even standard, so-called ‘terminable’ electricity wayleaves are not temporary.

It is also worth landowners noting that the completion of an electricity wayleave will mean Health and Safety legislation restrictions being imposed which cannot be negated.

Be warned, the Health and Safety Executive has powers to prosecute any person who infringes such restrictions.

You should also check the likely payments due.

The electricity company will apply its Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) wayleave payment rates but these, for instance in respect of buried cables, could be negligible.

You can also claim disturbance compensation for justifiable losses suffered in consequence of the scheme.

Access routes should be agreed in advance and farmers should ensure that Single Payment cross compliance requirements aren’t contravened.

Although compulsory powers are available in the background, the normal procedure is for electricity companies to seek agreement with affected landowners.

Remember, a signed electricity wayleave can be binding for the current and future owners, no matter how small the scheme is.

Eifion Bibby, Davis Meade Property Consultants