Llandinam Wind Farm 23 April 2003
from the BWEA site ....
Llandinam wind farm is 10km south of Newtown has been operational since January 1993 and consists of 103 Mitsubishi turbines, each rated at 300kW, giving a total capacity of 30.9 MW. The site is now owned by CeltPower Ltd., a joint venture between Scottish Power plc (50%) and the Tomen Corporation of Japan (50%).
The site is colloquially known by non-Welsh speakers as the 'P&L'. At the time of its construction it was both Europe's and the UK's largest wind farm, both in terms of number of turbines and generating capacity. In the case of the generating capacity, it was subsequently overtaken by Carno.
The site remains the only European installation of Mitsubishi machines. Closer views of the site can be obtained by walking up from the site office, located on minor roads off the A483 Newtown to Llandindrod Wells road, south of Lliathddu. There is no access from the A470 in Llandinam.
Our chosen footpath was blocked by this charming rural idyll .. so we descended to the valley floor!
600-04230023.jpg 207KB
Again climbing the hills to the wind farm this quad-bike, complete with crook, crossed our path
600-04230024.jpg 95KB
Sheep pose next to deliberately-burned bracken.
600-04230025.jpg 112KB
A steep trackway took us rapidly upwards, revealing views of the wind farm.
600-04230029.jpg 114KB
the northern half of the wind farm, impressive on the skyline.
800-04230044.jpg 44KB larger version 243KB
The moor was profoundly dry, unusually. The footpath petered out, so we followed the service road.
600-04230035.jpg 95KB
Mitsubishi 300KW machines; the only ones of their kind in the country.
800-04230039.jpg 37KB
A line of turbines and their service road.
600-04230037.jpg 43KB
Both parts of the wind farm are seen here. The access to the turbine shows its scale.
800-04230040.jpg 60KB
2007-04230041.jpg 282KB
The magnificent view from the plateau at 027832 to the north north west and the Severn Valley. landscape version 507KB
600-04230046.jpg 113KB
The part set off back to the valley down a long abandoned access track from the wind farm. A landrover appears, and then reverses down the track, and it is clear a farmer and his wife are rounding up some stray sheep.
800-04230051.jpg 94KB
The nimble-footed lady with one of the captives. The ewe was required to be a surrogate wet-nurse for an orphan lamb.
600-04230052.jpg 181KB
CAT centre for Alternative Technology
Llandinam wind farm