44 NGOs urge Scottish Government to reject new Peterhead gas plant

A series of 44 NGOs has urged the Scottish Government Ministers to reject Equinor and SSE’s application for a new gas power plant at Peterhead.

An open letter addressed to First Minister John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Mairi McAllan and Minister for Climate Action Gillian Martin said that the project would maintain the current energy system, which is “dominated by exploitative fossil fuel companies who are benefitting off ordinary people’s hardship”.

Greenpeace UK, Oxfam Scotland, Fuel Poverty Action and Friends of the Earth Scotland are among the organisations that signed the letter.

Friends of the Earth Scotland climate campaigner Alex Lee commented: “Organisations from across Scottish society are calling on ministers to reject this disastrous development which will only further enrich greedy energy companies at a huge cost to Scottish households and the climate. New fossil fuel burning will critically undermine the energy transition and make it even harder for the Scottish Government to meet its climate commitments.”

They added: “Instead of building an energy system on the rotten foundations of carbon capture, we should be ploughing our time and resources into expanding a renewable energy system that is affordable, reliable and run in the public interest.”

Replying to a request for comment, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “It would not be appropriate to comment on a live planning application. A decision will be taken by Ministers in due course, following consideration of the application information, consultation responses and representations made by members of the public.”

Peterhead proposal

Equinor and SSE have proposed building a new gas burning plant with carbon capture in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire.

The letter claimed that their proposal would lock Scottish households into paying energy prices which are set by international gas markets and are prone to external shocks such as the war in Ukraine.

The signatories also warned ministers about reliance on carbon capture, saying workers “should not be strung along with empty promises of jobs in fairytale carbon capture” and pointing out of the environmental and ethical risks of trying to store carbon under the North Sea in perpetuity.

In a statement from SSE, which was supported by Equinor, a spokesperson said: “Credible organisations such as the Climate Change Committee are clear that carbon capture technology will be essential to decarbonising the power system on the way to net zero. As Scotland’s only large-scale flexible power station, decarbonising Peterhead is of the significant importance which is why we continue to progress plans for the new Peterhead Carbon Capture Power Station, which would provide vital low-carbon flexible backup to renewables.

“The new plant will ultimately replace the existing station and in doing so will deliver huge emissions reductions. We are also exploring how to neutralise residual emissions through negative emissions technologies, recognising the importance of this to reaching net zero.

“Once operational, Peterhead Carbon Capture Power Station will help to keep the lights on, facilitate the transition to net zero and create good jobs in the region.”