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Welsh Water is to up its renewable energy generation to 100GWh in 2020 from 40GWh now, as part of a £2 billion programme of investment.

This figure will be reached by building an anaerobic digestion plant at a sewage treatment works in Wrexham, installing hydroelectric generators at 30 sites and solar PV at 12.

The not-for-profit water company is also planning to lay a pipeline between southeast and southwest Wales to secure supplies against water shortages and replace 400km of water mains.

It will make these investments while keeping bills “as affordable as possible”, Welsh Water said as it today launched a customer consultation on the plans for 2015-2021.

Welsh Government minister for economy, science and transport Edwina Hart said: “This is a pivotal time for the water industry both in Wales and more widely across the UK. It is essential that our water and sewerage services are managed sustainably in order to secure the best possible social, economic and environmental outcomes for the citizens of Wales both for the present and into the future.”

Water companies in England and Wales submit their business plans for 2015-2021 to regulator Ofwat in December 2012.