Minister confirms power firms have no automatic right to access private land

A UK Government minister has confirmed that electricity network operators do not have automatic rights to access private land, as concerns grow over how energy infrastructure projects are being carried out across rural Wales.

Plaid Cymru MPs Ann Davies (Caerfyrddin) and Ben Lake (Ceredigion Preseli) said they sought clarification from Energy Minister Michael Shanks amid mounting unease among farmers and communities in mid and west Wales over land access linked to proposed electricity developments.

In a letter following the meeting, the minister confirmed that holding an Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO) licence does not in itself grant access to land.

While such licences allow companies to build and operate electricity networks, any entry onto land must be secured separately through lawful processes and with appropriate consent.

The clarification comes as a High Court case heard in Cardiff this week highlighted wider tensions between landowners and energy developers.

Campaigners, including Natalie Barstow, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales and the Land Justice Coalition, are taking legal action against Green GEN Cymru over its conduct while surveying land for a major electricity infrastructure project spanning more than 200km of Wales.

Lawyers for the campaigners told the court that workers had entered land without proper notice and, in some cases, risked spreading disease by accessing farms under active bovine TB restrictions. It was also alleged that surveyors had been seen on environmentally sensitive sites, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest and areas containing protected species, without adequate safeguards.

The company denies the claims, with its legal team arguing there is no evidence linking its activities to any biosecurity issues and suggesting the case is an attempt to delay projects considered vital for decarbonisation.

Ann Davies said the minister’s confirmation reinforced concerns already raised by communities.

“Landowners’ rights must be respected at all times, and any engagement must be transparent, lawful, and based on genuine consent,” she said.

“Ben and I will continue to stand with communities in the Tywi and Teifi Valleys in calling for undergrounding and for infrastructure development that minimises environmental impact and respects the people who live and work on the land.”

Both MPs have previously backed calls for electricity infrastructure in the Tywi and Teifi valleys to be placed underground rather than installed using overhead pylons.

Distress 

Ben Lake said the situation highlighted the distress caused locally.

“This underlines serious concerns that infrastructure companies entering farmland without landowner permission may be acting beyond what their statutory powers allow, and this is causing significant distress within our local communities,” he said.

The High Court hearing, which is due to conclude this week, centres on whether Green GEN Cymru has acted unlawfully in its approach to land access and survey work.