Govt to build new green energy hub in Scotland

• Chapelcross nuclear power plant to become hub for jobs, investment and training
• 210-hectare site to house a hydrogen production storage facilities 
• Government looking for strategic private sector partner to accelerate net-zero plans 

The Chapelcross nuclear power plant. Credit: Nuclear Restoration Services Limited

The government has unveiled plans to turn the former Chapelcross nuclear power plant near Annan, Scotland, into a green energy hub that it says will attract investment and jobs to the area.

The project’s goals centre around developing green energy production, storage and distribution and making a “significant contribution to the UK and Scottish governments’ net-zero targets”. 

The types of renewable energy to be developed at the site include solar, geothermal and wind. 

Plans for the 210-hectare Chapelcross site, launched by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), include a hydrogen production storage, advanced manufacturing, and energy and enterprise campuses.

They are supported by investment of up to £15.3m from both UK and Scottish Governments (£7.5m from Scottish Government and £7.8m from UK Government) through the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.

A former nuclear power plant, Chapelcross is owned by the NDA and is being decommissioned through its subsidiary, Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS). 

The NDA is looking for what it calls a “strategic developer” to “bring expertise and private finance” to help deliver the project. It plans to announce its strategic developer early in 2025.

David Peattie, chief executive officer of the NDA, said the ultimate aim of the project is to deliver “benefit to local communities, the environment and the wider economy”.

“The green energy hub will enable us to deliver this at Chapelcross,” Peattie said. 

“The masterplan marks tangible progress in making the hub a reality and is a testament to the value of partnership working.” 

The strategic developer will enable the NDA to “leverage the benefits of public and private sector collaboration” and deliver the green hub, Peattie explained. 

Richard Murray, NRS Chapelcross Site Director, said the site’s existing facilities will contribute to the government’s net-zero and sustainable growth strategy. 

The first phase of the program will include the release of 60 hectares of land at the site, which is the equivalent of 84 football pitches. 

Energy was a substantial, and at times contentious, policy point during the general election, with most parties putting forward plans to retrain the workforce, cut emissions and make the UK energy independent. 

Since its landslide victory, the Labour government has made getting the country to net-zero a priority, and has unveiled plans for a new national energy company to lower household bills and improve public and private sector collaboration.