Key Points
- Welsh Government has started a 12-week public consultation regarding setting up a publicly-owned Welsh Public Energy Company.
- The new energy company will unite current public energy operations such as Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, Ynni Cymru, and other related Welsh Government Energy Services.
- Its purpose is to finance, own and manage operations of renewable energy, battery storage, and local energy companies, with all proceeds being invested in communities and public sectors.
- It is claimed that its creation intends to boost the ownership of renewable energy resources and ensure that more economic advantages stay in Wales, which may result in reducing energy costs.
- The company is not expected to substitute current energy providers, set household energy prices, or compete with private companies.
- The consultation period lasts from 7 September 2026 to 30 November 2026.
Wales (Wales Times) September 09, 2026 – The Welsh Government has formally opened a public consultation on plans to establish a single, publicly owned energy company for Wales, designed to consolidate existing state-backed energy functions and expand public ownership of renewable generation, storage and local energy systems. The proposal, described by ministers as a manifesto commitment, seeks to give Wales a stronger role in developing and owning clean energy infrastructure while ensuring more of the financial value generated by the country’s abundant wind, solar and other resources remains within Welsh communities.
As reported by Anu Bhambhani of TaiyangNews, the Welsh Government plans to launch a publicly owned energy company that could give Wales a greater role in developing and owning clean energy assets, with the proposed company investing in renewable energy projects, battery storage, and local energy systems to help lower energy costs over time. Nation.Cymru staff reported that people across Wales are being asked for their views on plans to create a new publicly-owned national energy company which ministers say could eventually help cut bills. The BBC reported that the proposed plans aim to reduce the cost of energy in the long-term, but won’t be able to set bills, and that the company would “develop and own” wind and solar plants, and support local communities to take an ownership stake.
What will the Welsh Public Energy Company do?
The consultation document states that the proposed company would build on existing Welsh Government-supported energy delivery functions, strengthen Wales’s ability to deliver renewable and low carbon energy projects, and help retain more of the value from energy development in Wales for people and communities. Under the current proposals, the government plans to make Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru the basis of the new company, which will develop utility-scale wind and solar energy projects on public land while also exploring wider opportunities and partnerships. It would also build on Ynni Cymru’s work to help communities, councils, and public bodies own and use energy locally through distributed energy, battery storage, flexibility services and smart local energy systems that better match local generation with demand.
As reported by TaiyangNews, the consultation also proposes giving the company a role in shared ownership, allowing it to take equity stakes in larger renewable projects on behalf of communities where they lack the capacity to participate directly. It could help businesses deal with short-term grid constraints by bringing together local power generation, battery storage, and flexible energy use, and could also support on-site renewable power through behind-the-meter solutions. The government is also considering whether the company could help accelerate grid connections by acting as an intermediary. Another proposed function is to make Wales a test bed for new energy approaches, including smart local energy systems, local energy markets, hydrogen, and flexibility technologies.
How will the company be funded and governed?
The consultation is examining how to use existing funding and resources more efficiently, including establishing a Welsh Energy Wealth Fund, and says the proposed company could eventually work with public and private finance partners to develop and finance a portfolio of energy projects. As reported by TaiyangNews, the energy ministry explained: “The company is intended as the practical delivery arm of the National Energy Strategy we have committed to publish. It is not intended to be a replacement for private investment, but a collaborator with and shaper of it, and a means of ensuring that Wales holds a stronger stake in what gets built.”
Ministers emphasise that private investment would remain essential, with the public company intended to work alongside private investors rather than displace them. The Welsh Government says greater Welsh ownership of energy projects could nevertheless help reduce costs over the longer term, while retaining more of the income generated by the country’s energy resources.
What are ministers and critics saying?
Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy Adam Price said: “Wales has huge potential to generate clean energy from our natural resources. We want to make sure the benefits of that energy are felt by people and communities across Wales, both in jobs and growth but eventually in lower bills too.” He added:
“Wales is on the verge of another energy revolution and this time we want to make sure we keep more of the benefits here. This consultation is about how we can build a stronger Welsh energy sector, support local ownership and create lasting value for future generations. It’s about cheaper, cleaner energy that is made and owned in Wales.”
As reported by Nation.Cymru staff, Conservative MS Janet Finch-Saunders, Shadow Minister for the Economy, said:
“While thousands of well-paid manufacturing jobs are being lost, the Welsh Government’s answer is another state-owned company and yet more wind turbines and solar farms across the Welsh countryside.”
She continued:
“Wales needs cheap, reliable energy to keep factories open, businesses competitive and household bills down. Instead of pursuing costly Net Zero policies, we should be making use of Britain’s own oil and gas reserves, backing nuclear power and putting energy security and affordability first.”
How can people respond to the consultation?
The consultation, launched on 7 September 2026, is open until 30 November 2026. People can take part online via the Welsh Government website, download and complete a response form to email to YmatebionYnni-EnergyResponses@gov.wales, or post completed forms to Energy Policy, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, uk/local/cardiff/">Cardiff, CF10 3NQ. The consultation asks if Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru should form the basis of the new company and whether it should use its name or call itself Ynni Cymru.
Background of the development
The proposal forms part of the Welsh Government’s broader National Energy Strategy, which it says will be published later in 2026 and sets out a vision for a low carbon energy system that retains value in Welsh communities. A written statement by Adam Price MS on 7 September 2026 noted that the manifesto set out the case for a single Welsh Public Energy Company, owned by the people of Wales and working for the people of Wales, and that the 12-week public consultation covers various proposals on the future development of Wales’s public energy functions, including establishing the new company. Under its Renewable Energy Sector Deal announced in March 2026, the Welsh Government aims to achieve 70% renewable electricity by 2030, and 100% by 2035.
Prediction: how this could affect households, communities and businesses in Wales
If the Welsh Public Energy Company is established as proposed, households in Wales could see indirect effects on energy costs over time through increased local ownership of generation and storage, though ministers stress it will not directly set bills. Communities and public bodies may gain new routes to participate in energy projects through shared ownership models and local energy systems, potentially increasing local control and reinvestment of revenues.
Businesses could benefit from targeted support to manage grid constraints and adopt on-site renewables, while the wider Welsh economy may retain a larger share of value from energy development if the company successfully channels profits into public services and community funds. However, the ultimate impact will depend on the company’s capitalisation, project pipeline, governance arrangements and ability to crowd in private investment without displacing it.
