Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on placing cables underground for national energy infrastructure associated with energy parks in areas (a) of high outstanding natural beauty and (b) designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

The Government’s policy on undergrounding is set out in the energy National Policy Statement for electricity networks (EN-5), which sets a strong starting presumption of overhead lines, except in nationally designated landscapes - such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest - where undergrounding is the starting presumption.