Hydrogen UK member National Gas has announced plans for more than 300 miles of hydrogen pipeline along the East Coast of England, marking a major step towards a national hydrogen network for Great Britain.
The proposed development, Project Union: East Coast, represents the first phase of a wider ambition to create a dedicated hydrogen transmission network, connecting key industrial regions and enabling the scale-up of the UK’s hydrogen economy.
Running from Teesside, through Yorkshire and the Humber, and into the East Midlands, the pipeline will link major production sites, storage locations and industrial users. In doing so, it will help create a clean energy corridor designed to unlock investment, support regional growth and strengthen the UK’s long-term energy security.
Ian Radley, Chief Commercial Officer at National Gas, said the announcement reflects growing momentum behind hydrogen in the UK:
“This is a hugely significant moment in Britain’s energy transition and a clear signal of the real momentum behind the UK’s hydrogen ambitions. By setting out concrete plans for the first phase of the national hydrogen network, we’re delivering the infrastructure that will secure Britain’s place as a world leader in hydrogen.”
He added that the East Coast is a natural starting point, given its concentration of industry and strong hydrogen potential, with the intention for the network to scale nationwide over time.
Building the backbone of a hydrogen sector
Project Union aims to create up to 1,500 miles of hydrogen pipeline across Great Britain by repurposing existing gas infrastructure and building new assets where required. This approach will enable large-scale energy transport while making use of existing networks – a key advantage in accelerating deployment.
National Gas’ experience operating the UK’s gas transmission system for over 60 years underpins confidence in the safety and reliability of this transition. Programmes such as FutureGrid have already demonstrated that hydrogen can be transported safely through existing infrastructure with appropriate upgrades.
The development of a hydrogen backbone is widely recognised as essential to scaling the hydrogen sector. It allows production, storage and demand to be connected efficiently – a critical step in moving from early projects to a fully functioning market.
Economic growth and regional opportunity
Early analysis suggests Project Union could support around 3,100 jobs at peak construction and deliver £300 million in annual gross value added. More broadly, a UK-wide hydrogen network has the potential to underpin tens of thousands of jobs and billions in economic value as the sector scales.
By enabling industries to switch to low-carbon energy sources, the network will help safeguard existing industrial activity while creating new opportunities in emerging clean energy supply chains.
Connecting clusters and unlocking investment
The East Coast pipeline will connect directly into the Humber Hydrogen cluster and forms part of the wider East Coast Hydrogen initiative, a collaboration between National Gas, Northern Gas Networks and Cadent.
The announcement follows recent progress on hydrogen clusters, including partnerships to develop large-scale production and storage, reinforcing the role of infrastructure in unlocking investment across the value chain.
Ofgem has already confirmed £164 million of funding for early-stage work on projects including Project Union: East Coast, supporting the development of more than half of National Gas’ proposed network.
The project is now entering a two-year Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase, covering detailed design, environmental assessments and planning. Public consultation is expected to begin later this year.
Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, said:
“Hydrogen UK welcomes the next phase of National Gas’s Project Union. Developing a hydrogen backbone is essential to unlocking investment, driving economic growth and supporting the reindustrialisation of the UK’s energy-intensive regions. By connecting hydrogen production with the industries that need it, infrastructure like this will help ensure British industry remains competitive in the global energy transition while strengthening the UK’s energy security.”
