´óÏó´«Ã½

Plans to unveil the location of a new electricity substation and power lines in mid Wales have been postponed to give officials more time to prepare.

A public consultation was to have started this month, but National Grid said it would be delayed until the first half of next year.

It is said the electricity infrastructure needs upgrading to cope with a new generation of wind turbines.

But concerns have been raised over an increase in the number of pylons.

In 2008, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales claimed hundreds of pylons could be erected to carry power to the National Grid.

But the National Grid has not revealed details of numbers or where and when the structures would be built.

A National Grid spokeswoman said: "National Grid has received requests to connect proposed new wind generation in the areas identified by the Welsh Assembly Government in mid Wales to the national electricity transmission network.

"As there is no existing high voltage network in this part of Wales, the necessary infrastructure to make the connection will have to be built.

"This will consist of a new substation built within the vicinity of the generation and a new power line to connect to a suitable point on the transmission network.

"Over the past 12 months we have been carrying out extensive technical and environmental assessments to find the best location for the substation and the most appropriate connection point. Once these have been identified, various options for connecting the two can be considered."

It was hoped that consultation would start this year, but following discussions with the Infrastructure Planning Commission, the National Grid said further work was needed before it could go ahead.

It said consultation would begin in the first half of next year.

Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies said he was concerned the "confidence" of wind turbine companies would be "severely threatened" by delays to the project.