Cefn Coch in Powys – one of two locations consulted on – has been identified as the preferred area for the substation and the ‘red north’ route via Llansantffraid to Lower Frankton in Shropshire as the preferred route corridor.
The proposals are highly controversial and have already been the subject of local opposition and widespread protests.
The site and route selection also takes into account the proposed connections from the wind farms to the new substation by Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) and SSE Renewables (SSE).
Based on work so far, it is likely that a combination of both overhead lines and undergrounding will be used for the power line route.
National Grid insists it has listened to feedback that parts of the corridor in the Vyrnwy Valley could be particularly sensitive to an overhead line, and the company’s work found that there are areas where engineering and other challenges could make undergrounding difficult.
National Grid has also listened to the feedback from specialist bodies on the effects of a connection in the Powys uplands and has made some changes to the route corridor to provide more options for routeing the connection.