SNP urged not to follow UK ministers ‘down dangerous path’ with new gas plants

SNP ministers have been urged not to follow Westminster into backing new gas power stations to avert what the UK government claimed was the “genuine prospect of blackouts”.

In a speech at Chatham House, UK energy secretary Claire Coutinho outlined the apparent need for unabated gas power in the electricity system beyond 2030, which the UK government said would still mean Britain was on track to meet targets to cut emissions to zero overall by 2050.

Rishi Sunak said the UK needed to meet its goals to cut emissions by nearly four-fifths by 2035, on the way to the 2050 goal, in a “sustainable way that doesn’t leave people without energy on a cloudy, windless day”.

The UK government will 'stand with' electricity generators as they invest in building more gas-fired power stations, energy secretary Claire Coutinho has said

But Labour accused the Tories of leaving Britain facing another ten years of high energy bills and energy security, while think-tank the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said falling North Sea output would leave the UK more dependent on foreign gas.

The plans to boost gas power capacity include broadening rules for new plants to be net-zero ready and able to convert to lower-carbon alternatives, such as being fuelled by hydrogen or using carbon capture technology to catch and store emissions.

The UK government also said new gas plants would run less frequently as other low-carbon technologies are rolled out.

The move is needed as electricity powers a growing share of the economy, with more electric cars on the road and an increase in heat pumps, with flexible power generation as a back-up to renewables, officials said.

SNP Net Zero and Energy Secretary Mairi McAllan (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

But climate campaigners have warned the Scottish Government not to follow suit and “go down a dangerous path” as ministers are set to publish their delayed final energy policy by the summer.

The Scottish Government is considering approving a proposal from energy giants SSE and Equinor to build an additional gas burning power station at Peterhead. The existing Aberdeenshire site is already Scotland's biggest climate polluter and the proposals would see fossil fuels burned for electricity well past 2045.

The UK Climate Change Committee – independent advisors to the Scottish and UK governments – have made it clear that new fossil fuels will do nothing to lower bills.

Friends of the Earth Scotland climate campaigner Alex Lee said: “This is another clear example of oil and gas companies writing UK government energy policy. Fossil fuels must not be part of Scotland’s energy future – with or without the empty promises of carbon capture.

“The UK government is simply parroting the fossil fuel industry when it talks about energy security because it is in these companies’ interests to continue business as usual for as long as possible to keep raking in record breaking profits.”

They added: “The Scottish Government is considering following the UK government down this dangerous path by approving a new gas burning power station at Peterhead. Such a reckless decision would undermine the transition to renewables that ministers have claimed they support.

“The best way to ensure true energy security and a liveable planet is to invest in publicly owned renewable energy which will keep bills stable, provide good green jobs and free us from climate wrecking fossil fuels.”