Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, said he could see no ensuing benefits to communities in Mid Wales from the Mid Wales Connection Project.
During weekly questioning of the First Minister (Tuesday 16th October), Mr George was keen to reiterate that the Mid Wales Connection Project was only progressing due to the Welsh Government’s renewable energy policy, as laid down in Technical Advice Note 8 (TAN 8).
The AM said if the Welsh Government wanted clear community benefits to compensate those communities who would be affected by significant energy infrastructure developments, then he wanted to know what the First Minister perceived tangible community benefits to be.
Mr George said:
"First Minister, you have said publically that if consents are given to large infrastructure developments, you would expect there to be significant benefits to affected communities.
"However, with the scaring of the landscape, years of transport misery, damage to Mid Wales tourism industry, the devaluation of property prices and the potential impact on public health because of effects of turbine noise and flicker amongst other things, I can see very little in the way of community benefits from the Mid Wales Community Project going ahead."
Commenting on the First Minister’s response, Mr George said:
"I am very disappointed by the response from the First Minister, as he simply failed to answer my question.
"If he thinks that the people of Mid Wales can be bought off, financially or otherwise, he is very much mistaken and it really does show how out of touch he is."