Scottish government approves Peterhead gas plant – Daily Business

The Scottish government has approved the construction of a controversial gas-fired power station at Peterhead.

It will be a joint venture with the UK’s SSE and Norway’s Equinor, the same two companies behind the Jackdaw gas field.

The developers say the plant will be equipped with carbon capture technology that will help the 900 megawatt facility remove CO2 from its emissions.

By capturing up to 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 each year, the new station alone would achieve 15% of the UK Government’s target to capture 10 million tonnes annually by 2030.

The plan was submitted five years ago and is expected to support 1,000 jobs in the construction phase, with dozens of long-term roles to operate the plant.

SSE Thermal managing director Finlay McCutcheon said: “This is an important milestone for a project which has the potential to provide the flexible, low-carbon electricity needed to support a renewables-led energy system while creating and sustaining good jobs in the north-east of Scotland.”

Environmental group Friends of the Earth Scotland say the decision locks Scotland into a dependence on fossil fuels.

North East Scotland Green MSP Maggie Chapman said the existing gas-powered station at Peterhead, which has been generating electricity for four decades, was “Scotland’s largest source of climate pollution”.

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