Powys MP calls on Ofgem to revoke Green Gen Cymru's licence in Prime Minister's Questions

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have once again called on the UK Government to seek an urgent review of Green Gen Cymru's electricity licence following further complaints from farmers and landowners in Mid Wales.

David Chadwick, Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, raised concerns during Prime Minister’s Questions about the company's treatment of rural communities after meeting with a group of farmers last Friday.

During the meeting, farmers reported Green Gen Cymru representatives arriving on their land as early as 4am, entering farms without permission and wearing dirty wellington boots, raising serious concerns about the risk of spreading livestock diseases and a disregard for basic farm biosecurity measures.

Farmers have expressed particular concern about the potential risks to livestock health, including the spread of diseases between farms.

Green Gen Cymru was granted an electricity transmission licence by Ofgem in July 2024, one day after Labour entered office, and has faced significant backlash for its plans for massive pylons through Mid & West Wales, alongside alleged mistreatment of local farmers and landowners.

Mr Chadwick has called on the UK Government to ask Ofgem to urgently examine the concerns raised by landowners and strip Green Gen of its transmission licence.

Chadwick has previously called on UK and Welsh Government Ministers to intervene on the plans, doing so 10 times in the House of Commons Chamber since he was elected in 2024, in addition to numerous letters and meetings with regulators.

Chadwick’s Liberal Democrat colleague, North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan, has also repeatedly called for action against Green Gen Cymru over its treatment of landowners, including calls for the company’s Ofgem licence to be revoked.

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe David Chadwick said: "Last Friday, I met with a group of farmers who shared deeply concerning accounts of their experiences with Green Gen Cymru.

"They described representatives arriving on farms in the early hours of the morning and raised serious concerns about whether appropriate biosecurity precautions were being followed.

"I have repeatedly raised concerns about Green Gen Cymru's treatment of farmers and landowners in the House of Commons, alongside my Liberal Democrat colleague Helen Morgan, the MP for North Shropshire.

"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.

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

"Enough is enough. I am calling on the Government to urgently ask Ofgem to review Green Gen Cymru's conduct and revoke its licence if it is found to have failed to meet the standards expected of an electricity network operator."

A spokesperson for Green Gen 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.

“Green GEN Cymru has a published Biosecurity Protocol which sets out strict measures to prevent the spread of livestock disease during survey and access activities, including risk assessments, hygiene requirements and site-specific controls. As part of our engagement and notification processes, we also invite landowners to share any site-specific information ahead of surveys so that relevant circumstances and risks can be taken into account.

“Recent Judicial Review proceedings did not find that Green GEN Cymru had acted unlawfully, and recognised the significant steps we have taken to strengthen our policies, procedures and training, including in relation to survey access, biosecurity and landowner engagement.

“Claims that representatives attended farms at 4am are not reflective of standard survey activity. The only circumstances in which contractors would typically be on site at those times would be for specialist ecological surveys, such as bat surveys, which are carried out at dawn or dusk and would be undertaken in communication with landowners.

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