Chief executive steps down from firm that wants to build pylon network across Wales

Martin Shipton

The man who has led a controversial company that wants to build a network of pylons across rural Wales has stepped down as its CEO, we can reveal.

Stuart George has been the public face of Green GEN Cymru, and before that of its sister company Bute Energy, which has ambitious parallel plans to build a network of giant wind turbines.

But although both companies – which are Cardiff-based but Scottish owned – were established in 2020, they have yet to build a single wind turbine or pylon.

Their plans have attracted considerable opposition from residents worried about Wales’ landscape being ruined, and its plans have been subject to long delays.

Earlier this month Nation.Cymru revealed how the firms had made an unknown number of their employees redundant.

We also reported how many millions of pounds taken out of Bute Energy had been reinvested in unrelated businesses in Scotland.

Bute Energy principals, including Mr George, had received payments totalling £58m after the value of the company’s projects had been upgraded in anticipation of their future profitability.

In February 2025 Bute Energy announced that it was receiving an investment of £600m from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, a major international investor in renewable energy schemes. In addition public sector pension funds in Wales have invested in Bute.

Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar has called on the Auditor General for Wales to investigate concerns about the finances of Bute Energy and its associated companies.

Green GEN Cymru has shown a lack of candour about its redundancies and the departure of executives.

Earlier this month, after we had received a tip-off about redundancies, Mr George would only say: “As in any business, we continually review our operations to ensure we are well positioned for the future. We remain focused on delivering a decarbonised energy system, working closely with communities and partners across the Welsh and UK supply chain.”

Two weeks ago we were told that Green GEN Cymru managing director Daryn Lucas was leaving, but the company told us at the time: “Daryn is still employed by GGC.”

‘Not true’

On Tuesday May 26 we were told that Mr George was stepping down as CEO, and having failed to get a message from Green GEN Cymru’s comms team approached Mr George directly. Asked if he was leaving, he sent us a message that stated: “No! Certainly not true.”

Hours later we received a statement from a company spokesperson that said: “Stuart George has stepped back from his role as CEO of Green GEN Cymru and remains actively involved in the business as a member of the Board.

“Andrew Hardcastle, previously Project Director, has been appointed Executive Director of Green GEN Cymru. A Chartered Electrical Engineer and experienced infrastructure leader, Andy brings more than 15 years’ experience delivering major electricity transmission, distribution and offshore wind projects across the UK and internationally.

“We can confirm that Daryn Lucas has left the company.

“Green GEN Cymru continues to progress its development portfolio and engagement activities as planned.”

Judicial review

Jenny Chryss, campaign lead of the group RE-Think, which opposes GreenGEN’s and Bute Energy’s plans, said: “Stuart George’s departure as CEO comes as little surprise. It follows an undisclosed number of recent redundancies at Green GEN Cymru which took place on his watch. The outcome is awaited of a Judicial Review into the company’s conduct in accessing land for surveys. And on top of all that there is renewed emphasis now from the incoming Plaid administration on undergrounding the power lines, something Green GEN has always resisted.

“We don’t know exactly why Mr George has stood down, but one has to look no further than the credentials of his replacement to get a pretty good idea. Andrew Hardcastle, who becomes Executive Director, clearly has far more industry experience than Mr George. He is also a Chartered Engineer, while Mr George is a Chartered Accountant with a career, before Bute and Green GEN, in finance and property development.

“Not that I think that all the blame for what’s gone wrong lies with Green GEN or Mr George. For some time now it’s been rumoured that the main investors, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP,) have been getting twitchy about the lack of progress on either the wind farms or power lines. And who can blame them? Most of the Bute wind farms which were expected to have planning consent by 2025 haven’t yet even got applications in.

“In February 2025 Mr George, then MD of Bute Energy, announced to the press and some gullible politicians that he hoped to have six wind farm applications on the Cabinet Secretary’s desk by the summer of that year. In reality none were, and it’s possible that some never will be. Without these wind farms there is no need for the power lines which, let’s face it, are the only reason that Green GEN exists?

“To date, Bute Energy has never built a wind farm and Green GEN Cymru has never built a power line. Nonetheless Green GEN holds a licence from Ofgem to distribute electricity as an independent operator, a role which comes with stringent regulations and responsibilities. Now that the chips are down one can only guess that the Green GEN board of directors, which includes at least one representative of CIP, has decided to put the company’s future into the hands of someone who actually knows what they’re doing within this particular industry.”

Undergrounding

Meanwhile Plaid Cymru Energy Minister Adam Price told S4C that his party will stick to their commitment to refuse permission for steel pylons for new electricity connections.

He said Plaid’s Senedd election manifesto was “absolutely clear” on the issue as it was a matter of great importance to voters in many parts of Wales.

Plaid Cymru supports undergrounding new connections, or using wooden poles where that is not possible.