Wales stands on the cusp of an extraordinary opportunity to lead the global energy transition. At the Celtic Freeport, we are proud to be at the heart of that ambition, bringing together world-class infrastructure, industry, skills and innovation in Port Talbot and the Milford Haven Waterway to deliver growth at scale.
But ambition without delivery counts for little. And right now, Wales is in danger of becoming a country that talks about opportunity, but cannot realise it, not because of lack of vision, but because of a fundamental and worsening issue: a lack of capacity in the electricity grid.
The consequences of this challenge are already being felt. And unless urgent reforms realised, we will continue to slow investment.
At Port Talbot alone, we currently have a few major projects that are unable to reach Final Investment Decision (FID) simply because they cannot secure a grid connection. These are serious projects, representing over £1 billion in investment, and they are just the tip of the iceberg.
In Milford Haven, the story is the same. Whether it's RWE’s large-scale plans or other anchor developments involving offshore wind, green hydrogen and major port upgrades, the single biggest obstacle is not ambition or funding, it's access to adequate electricity.
And these aren’t speculative ideas. They are serious, investable proposals with real potential to transform South West Wales. But until developers have certainty that they can connect to the grid, and within a viable timeframe, they simply cannot proceed. In fact, in some cases, the current estimated wait for a connection is 10 to 15 years.
When we speak to investors and developers, the message is sobering:
“We want to invest in Wales. We believe in your vision. But we cannot move forward without certainty on power.”
That uncertainty doesn’t just delay flagship projects. It paralyses the entire supply chain, manufacturers, ports, engineering firms, training providers and more. These businesses cannot mobilise without a clear pipeline. Councils can’t plan infrastructure upgrades or build out EV charging networks. Local people miss out on jobs and skills programmes.
At the Freeport, we are doing everything we can, bringing stakeholders together, liaising with UK and Welsh Governments, and trying to unblock progress. But the environment is fragmented, frustrating and too often opaque. We are knocking on too many doors just to get the simplest answers and that is costing Wales the one thing investment capital demands most: clarity and confidence.
Wales has built an impressive international profile as a renewable energy nation. Floating offshore wind has given us a once-in-a-generation chance to lead. We have the natural assets, the industrial heritage and the political intent. But unless we can align our words with action, we risk damaging the very brand we’ve worked so hard to create.
