Why the Cardiff Conductor matters for Wales’ energy future

Steve Rowlands is Head of Construction and Supply Chain at Green GEN Cymru

Earlier this month, I stood alongside colleagues in Antwerp watching months of work being put to the test.

Together with our Senior Overhead Line Engineer, Sven Hoffmann, I visited Lamifil’s specialist testing facility to oversee type testing of our new Cardiff conductor – a moment that represented far more than a technical milestone. It was the point where an idea we first introduced earlier this year demonstrated that it can perform in the real world.

When we announced ACCC® Cardiff in March, we did so with a clear ambition: to rethink how electricity infrastructure is designed for Wales.

Grid infrastructure attracts headlines, and it sits at the centre of one of the biggest challenges facing the energy sector. As more energy is developed and electricity demand continues to grow, networks must carry significantly more power than they were originally designed for. At the same time, communities rightly expect infrastructure that is efficient, resilient and sensitive to the landscapes it passes through.

That challenge shaped the thinking behind the Cardiff Conductor.

Rather than relying on conventional approaches that often mean larger structures and more visible infrastructure, we wanted to explore whether conductor technology itself could unlock a better solution. Could we move more electricity while reducing visual impact? Could we design infrastructure that responds to Welsh weather conditions and the realities of building a modern network in Wales?

Those questions led us to the Cardiff Conductor.

Designed as a high-capacity conductor, the Cardiff Conductor combines increased capability with the durability and reliability needed for long-term performance. Importantly, its higher capacity means more power can be carried on smaller towers, helping modernise infrastructure while reducing visual impact.

The name itself also marks an important moment. The Cardiff Conductor follows established international naming conventions used for ACCC® conductor variants such as Hamburg and Oslo. By becoming the first developer to successfully type test and deploy this variation, Green GEN Cymru secured the opportunity to formally designate the Cardiff variant – placing Welsh-led innovation alongside internationally recognised infrastructure technologies.

But announcements and ambitions only matter if they stand up to engineering scrutiny.

That is why the testing programme in Antwerp was such an important moment.

Working closely with Lamifil, a global leader in advanced overhead conductor manufacturing with extensive experience developing and deploying ACCC® technologies internationally, we put the conductor through comprehensive type testing.

The programme examined the conductor as a complete system, assessing everything from surface condition and dimensions through to mechanical strength, electrical resistance and behaviour under load. These are the tests that demonstrate whether a design can meet the performance, durability and safety standards required for modern electricity networks.

I’m pleased to say the results exceeded expectations.

That outcome gives us confidence as we move into the next stage of design, but it also reinforces something broader: innovation in grid infrastructure matters.

The energy transition is often discussed in terms of generation — wind, solar and new technologies. But none of that reaches homes, communities or businesses without the network that connects it.
For Wales, that means investing in infrastructure that is not only capable of carrying more power, but designed thoughtfully around local conditions and long-term needs.

The Cardiff Conductor is one example of how we believe that can be achieved.

There is still work ahead, but this milestone shows what can happen when engineering ambition is matched with technical delivery. Seeing the conductor perform as it did in testing was an exciting moment for everyone involved, and an important step towards delivering the stronger and more resilient electricity network Wales needs for the future.