Montgomeryshire AM Russell George said his meeting with National Grid achieved “very little” this week but that it did reveal the real cost of ‘cabling’.
Mr George met Grid chiefs on behalf of constituents who are concerned that the multi-billion pound windfarm plans for Mid Wales will destroy the Montgomeryshire countryside.
The main concern is that hundreds of 50m pylons will be constructed through untouched valleys, and previously there were claims that burying the cables underground was not economically viable.
But Mr George said that one of the few positives from the meeting was the revelation that cabling would only cost three times more underground than routing them via overland pylons.
Mr George said: “As I expected, the meeting with National Grid achieved very little. I thought there was a glimmer of hope at the start of the meeting when one official told me that ‘National Grid want to do what society wants them to do’. But as the meeting continued, their consistent line of defence was that they are contractually obliged to continue promoting their destructive proposals.
“I told them in no uncertain terms that I am totally against their proposals and I would do everything in my power to stop them.
“There were some positives from the meeting, National Grid conceded that their delivery timetable has had to be greatly extended and now they are looking to 2015 for a final decision with construction to follow. They also clarified the cost of undergrounding the cable should it be built. Previously we had been given all sorts of costs but the reality is that the cost of undergrounding would be just 3 times the cost of over-grounding the pylons.
“I did learn that there were over 6,000 people who had responded to its consultation process. Given the rural nature of our area, I felt that was a staggering number for a single consultation and just shows the strength of felling on the issue.
“I was also greatly reassured by National Grid’s confirmation that decisions relating to the 20 acre sub-station will definitely be taken in Wales - by Powys County Council and the Welsh Government (if appealed).
“However, what was clear from the meeting was that whatever the Welsh Government has publically said about not wanting over-ground pylons, this has no legal basis. National Grid said they would continue to be guided by developer need and Government planning policy, which just proves how crucial a review of TAN 8 is.”