Cwmrheidol noise concerns over 56 days of drilling

Residents are worried their lives will become "a complete mess" with drilling work set to take place near their homes for 56 days.

Norwegian company Statkraft is replacing power cables at its hydro-electric plant in Ceredigion.

Those in affected homes at Cwmrheidol, near Aberystwyth, fear they will have to endure noise and pollution.

Statkraft said the work was necessary and it had "taken action to ensure that negative effects will be mitigated".

The site is a former lead mining area and drilling, which could last until the autumn, will see cables replaced for the first time in 60 years.

Three houses are affected and resident James Salvona spoke out on behalf of the small community.

"Our life for this year will be a complete mess - I'm shaking just thinking about it," he said.

"This is going on until October. We are not being considered in any way at all - they have set their mind that they are going to do the work irrespective of what I think."

Mr Salvona said he was also concerned about possible pollution, with lead mining in the area dating from as far back as the Bronze Age until the early 1900s.

He added: "It is well known that the soils here are contaminated with heavy metals.

"I'm worried about the mines on the top because when I ask the company about them, they won't give me any answers.

"I think there's a possibility that when they are drilling they could hit one of these mines."

Natural Resources Wales said water from the underground workings still drains from the mines, containing high concentrations of metals including zinc, lead and cadmium.

In a statement, it said it "visited the site and will do so again in the near future to monitor the situation".

Statkraft did not comment specifically on Mr Salvona's claims but in a statement a spokesman said: "The drilling works are necessary to replace the 60-year-old electric export cables from the power station.

"A number of options have been reviewed and this method was chosen in close dialogue with the local authorities.

"It is the best solution/option with the least negative environmental and visual impact on the valley."

He added the company had all the necessary permits and licences to conduct the horizontal directional drilling.

The spokesman added: "We acknowledge that the drilling works will negatively affect the residents of the three neighbouring properties.

"We have taken action to ensure that negative effects will be mitigated and compensated fully.

"We are installing double height acoustic barriers to reduce/eliminate the noise and we are placing the generators as far away from the neighbouring properties as possible."