Nationwide Gasoline has outlined early-stage plans for a 300-mile hydrogen pipeline alongside England’s east coast, marking what appears a big step in direction of a nationwide hydrogen community.
The operator of the UK’s nationwide fuel transmission system unveiled plans for the primary section of the proposed nationwide hydrogen community – Undertaking Union: East Coast – on 18 March.
The underground hydrogen transmission pipeline is meant to attach a few of Britain’s most vital industrial areas and anchor the nation’s rising hydrogen economic system.
“Operating from Teesside, by means of Yorkshire and the Humber, and south into the East Midlands, the pipeline will kind the spine of a clean-energy hall designed to spice up regional economies, defend and create jobs, and improve vitality safety by enabling a shift in direction of low-carbon vitality,” mentioned the group.
Nationwide Gasoline Chief Industrial Officer, Ian Radley, mentioned:
“This can be a massively important second in Britain’s vitality transition and a transparent sign of the true momentum behind the UK’s hydrogen ambitions. By setting out concrete plans for the primary section of the nationwide hydrogen community, we’re delivering the infrastructure that can safe Britain’s place as a world chief in hydrogen.
“The East Coast is the pure place to begin. It’s considered one of Britain’s most vital industrial heartlands with monumental hydrogen potential, making it the perfect area to start creating a community that may then scale throughout the nation.
“Constructing Britain’s nationwide hydrogen community will unlock main funding, create a vital pathway for onerous‑to‑electrify industries to decarbonise, and safeguard 1000’s of jobs – all whereas supporting the Authorities’s clear energy ambitions and strengthening the nation’s lengthy‑time period vitality safety.”
Undertaking Union is meant to take form as Britain’s nationwide hydrogen community. The goal is to repurpose present pure fuel pipelines — and construct new ones the place wanted. The proposed end result is as much as 1,500 miles of a 100% hydrogen community to energy British business, driving financial progress, defending and creating jobs, and strengthening the UK’s vitality safety.
The undertaking would additionally help with efforts to satisfy UK Authorities targets of internet zero emissions by 2050 by enabling a transition to extra home-grown, low-carbon vitality for hard-to-decarbonise industries.
Early evaluation commissioned by Nationwide Gasoline seems to point that Undertaking Union might help round 3,100 jobs at peak development and ship £300 million in annual direct gross worth added to the economic system, whereas the nationwide hydrogen sector has the potential to ship tens of 1000’s of jobs and billions in annual financial worth.
The necessity for a nationwide hydrogen community has been recognized by the Local weather Change Committee, the Second Nationwide Infrastructure Evaluation and within the Authorities’s Hydrogen Transport and Storage Networks Pathway.
Hydrogen UK CEO, Clare Jackson, mentioned:
“Hydrogen UK welcomes the following section of Nationwide Gasoline’s Undertaking Union. Growing a hydrogen spine is crucial to unlocking funding, driving financial progress and supporting the reindustrialisation of the UK’s energy-intensive areas. By connecting hydrogen manufacturing with the industries that want it, infrastructure like this may assist guarantee British business stays aggressive within the international vitality transition whereas strengthening the UK’s vitality safety.”
The announcement follows the latest partnership between Nationwide Gasoline, Centrica, Equinor and SSE Thermal to safe authorities funding for Britain’s first hydrogen cluster – Humber Hydrogen.
The Undertaking Union East Coast underground pipeline will hyperlink into the Humber Hydrogen cluster, connecting main manufacturing, storage and industrial demand centres throughout the area.
England’s East Coast is anticipated to play a serious position within the UK’s rising hydrogen sector. The native provide chain consists of industrial demand, manufacturing initiatives and present vitality infrastructure. The area has expert staff and specialist companies that may deliver their expertise to ship this vital nationwide infrastructure.
Undertaking Union: East Coast is a part of East Coast Hydrogen, a collaboration between Nationwide Gasoline, Northern Gasoline Networks and Cadent to attach deliberate hydrogen manufacturing and storage with industrial customers.
Undertaking Union shall be rolled out in phases regionally. In November 2025, Ofgem confirmed a complete of £164 million for 3 Nationwide Gasoline initiatives, together with Undertaking Union: East Coast, to unlock the event of greater than 50% of Nationwide Gasoline’ proposed nationwide hydrogen community.
The undertaking is at present in a two-year improvement section, often called the Entrance-Finish Engineering Design (FEED) section, specializing in design, environmental evaluation, consents and public session.
Later this yr, Nationwide Gasoline will take plans for Undertaking Union: East Coast out for public session, sharing additional data on the proposals, and giving the general public a chance to have their say.
