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| Welsh Government responds to rural windfarm protests | Welsh Government responds to rural windfarm protests |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Welsh Government has announced measures intended to limit windfarm developments in mid Wales. | |
| First Minister Carwyn Jones said planning guidelines on the number of windfarms should in future be regarded by local councils as an upper limit. | First Minister Carwyn Jones said planning guidelines on the number of windfarms should in future be regarded by local councils as an upper limit. |
| The Welsh Government wants the UK government to devolve powers over large-scale energy generation projects. | |
| Hundreds of people protested against electricity and wind energy plans in mid Wales outside the Senedd in May. | |
| Politicians from the four main parties, including Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies, addressed crowds on the steps of the building. | |
| Dozens of pylons, some measuring 154ft (47m), and a substation are earmarked to connect with about 10 wind farms. | |
| Seven areas of mid and south Wales were chosen for the development of windfarms under a policy known as Tan 8 in 2005. | |
| But the Welsh Government says the number of applications and declarations of interest from developers are higher than anticipated, leading to proposals for major overhead grid infrastructure. | |
| 'Unacceptable' | |
| In a statement on Friday, Mr Jones said: "The Welsh Government believes this level of development is unacceptable in view of its wider impacts on the local area." | |
| He said the Tan 8 "capacities should be regarded as upper limits". | |
| Overall responsibility for large-scale energy generation rests with the UK Government. | |
| Mr Jones said he hoped the UK Government would "respect" his announcement and "not allow proliferation when they take decisions on individual projects in Wales". | |
| He added: "My government would not support the construction of large pylons in mid Wales and my ministers are pressing this case with National Grid Transmission and with Ofgem. | |
| "This situation amply illustrates why consents for major energy infrastructure projects must be devolved to Wales. | |
| "We cannot accept a position where decisions made outside Wales will lead to inappropriate development for the people of Wales." | |
| He said he would raise the issue at a meeting of the British and Irish Council on Monday. | |
| Officials said they had listened to the concerns of people in mid Wales where pylons could carry 400,000 volt electricity cables from north Powys to near Shrewsbury, Shropshire. |