Welsh Government Issues Early Market Update for Bro Tathan Power Project

The Welsh Government has published a market update notice to engage potential private-sector partners and consortia to deliver a major power infrastructure project at Bro Tathan in St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.

It provides early information to potential suppliers and investors about an upcoming major infrastructure project at the Bro Tathan site. This is not a formal call for competition or live tender but serves to inform the market, gather feedback, and prepare interested parties for the expected procurement launch later in 2026. The notice has a deadline of 31 August 2026 for engagement activities.

The core project involves creating a new high-voltage power connection to support the development of the 1,200-acre Bro Tathan strategic employment and innovation site in St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan. Located within the Cardiff Airport and St Athan Enterprise Zone, the site offers strong connectivity — including proximity to Cardiff Airport (about five miles away), direct M4 corridor access via the Northern Access Road, and a fully operational 1,800-metre runway with airside capabilities. It already hosts significant occupiers such as Aston Martin Lagonda, eCube Solutions, and Caerdav, with room for over 3 million sq ft of additional development focused on advanced manufacturing, aerospace, R&D, and commercial uses. The power infrastructure project aims to deliver up to 280 MVA of capacity by linking the site to the National Grid Electricity Transmission network through new 132kV circuits and a substation. 

Delivery will be structured as a Joint Venture (JV) between the Welsh Government and a private-sector partner (or consortium). The JV will be responsible for the full lifecycle: design, build, finance, operation, and maintenance of the network infrastructure. The Welsh Government plans to use the Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 to select a single capable consortium that brings together expertise in areas such as Independent Distribution Network Operation (IDNO), Independent Connection Provision (ICP), funding, and long-term operations. The estimated contract value is £35 million (excluding VAT) or £42 million (including VAT), with an anticipated start around March 2027 and completion by September 2029.

The notice outlines extensive prior and ongoing market engagement. The Welsh Government has engaged with industry stakeholders (IDNOs, ICPs, funders, and infrastructure operators) since 2021 to test deliverability, gauge investment interest, and refine the JV model. Feedback strongly supported a consortium approach. A further phase of structured pre-procurement engagement is underway, including opportunities for feedback on legal and commercial principles (detailed in the Memorandum of Information or MOI) and optional meetings in March/April 2026. Interested parties are encouraged to register via email (robert.stokes@burroughs.co.uk) and can access the MOI and supporting documents (such as questionnaires, presentations, and diagrams) at https://www.brotathan.wales/news. Participation in this phase is voluntary and will not affect future tender evaluations.