Keadby Next Generation planning application accepted by Planning Inspectorate

• First time a power station designed to run on hydrogen, as well as natural gas, has reached this stage in the DCO process
• Project could support the decarbonisation of carbon-intensive sectors, safeguard existing jobs and drive investment in the region

Plans for what could be one of the world’s first hydrogen fired power stations have moved forward after the proposals were accepted for consideration by UK Government’s Planning Inspectorate.

SSE and Equinor submitted the Development Consent Order (DCO) for Keadby Next Generation, located to the south of the Humber estuary in North Lincolnshire, in August after consultation with local authorities, communities and other stakeholders.

The proposal has been accepted and will now enter the examination process, with the final decision sitting with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

It is the first time a power station designed to run on hydrogen, as well as natural gas, has reached this stage in the DCO process.

The 900MW station could be operational from 2030 – providing crucial new reliable, efficient capacity to bolster security of supply by providing back-up generation in a renewables-led electricity system.

It is being designed to run on hydrogen to support the UK’s long-term decarbonisation, as a low carbon alternative to natural gas. It would also be able to operate using natural gas or a blend of hydrogen and natural gas until a technically and commercially viable hydrogen supply becomes available to the site.

Access to secure supplies of low-carbon hydrogen will be essential to delivering a 100% hydrogen-fired power station. Keadby Next Generation is strategically located close to planned production, storage and transport infrastructure in the Humber.

It could play a key role in underpinning an initial network, supporting the decarbonisation of carbon-intensive sectors while safeguarding existing jobs and driving inward investment in the region. During construction, around 800 full time jobs would be created from the site and supply chain, benefiting the local area.

SSE’s Keadby site has been at the heart of the UK’s energy system for nearly 75 years. Formerly the site of a coal-fired power station, it now hosts Keadby 2 - Europe’s most efficient gas-fired power station - England’s largest onshore wind farm and has planning consent for a new power station with Carbon Capture and Storage, also in partnership with Equinor.

As part of its commitment to decarbonise power generation, SSE is also developing hydrogen production and storage projects and investing in a multi-million-pound partnership – Mission H2 Power – with Siemens Energy to deliver gas turbine technology capable of running on 100% hydrogen by 2030.

Kelly De Azevedo Dent, Director of Development for SSE Thermal, said:

“Reaching this milestone with the Keadby Next Generation Power Station project marks a significant step forward in delivering what could be one of the world’s first hydrogen fired power stations.

“SSE is leading the way in creating a tangible future for hydrogen as a key part of a clean power system.

“Keadby Next Generation can play a pivotal role in decarbonising power generation, while driving the green industrial revolution in the Humber—bringing major investment to the region, while creating and safeguarding high-quality local jobs.”

Jalal Fahadi, Vice President for Low Carbon Thermal Power at Equinor, said:

“This is an important moment for the hydrogen to power sector, for the UK’s role in decarbonised power, and for Equinor’s ambitions in low carbon energy. We believe that hydrogen will play a central role in the energy transition, tackling emissions in the UK’s industrial heartlands whilst also driving economic growth and creating local opportunities.”

For more information on Keadby Next Generation Power Station please visit the project library site here.