National Gas unveils East Coast hydrogen pipeline plans
The energy firm has set out proposals for the first phase of a UK-wide hydrogen transmission network, outlining plans to develop more than 300 miles of pipeline connecting key industrial regions Teesside, Yorkshire, and the East Midlands.
Earlier this year, Cadent unveiled plans for the 90-mile section of pipeline intended to connect the project with the East Midlands via the HyMarnham Energy Park development in Newark, part of a hydrogen infrastructure project designed to link production, storage and industrial demand centres.
In November 2025, Ofgem allocated £164m in funding to three National Gas projects, including the East Coast scheme, to support development of more than half of the proposed national network.
The project, known as Project Union: East Coast, forms part of the wider Project Union programme, which aims to create up to 1,500 miles of hydrogen network across Great Britain by repurposing existing gas assets and constructing new infrastructure where required.
The initiative is positioned as a means to support industrial decarbonisation and contribute to the UK’s 2050 net zero target.
National Gas said existing transmission infrastructure could be adapted for hydrogen use, citing its FutureGrid programme, which tested the use of 100% hydrogen in pipelines.
Economic analysis commissioned by the company indicates the wider Project Union scheme could support around 3,100 jobs during peak construction and contribute approximately £300m in annual gross value added.
Credit: National Gas
The East Coast project will link into the Humber Hydrogen cluster, backed by National Gas alongside Centrica, Equinor and SSE Thermal, which recently secured government support.
The region is seen as a key hub for hydrogen development due to its industrial base and existing energy infrastructure.
Project Union: East Coast is also part of the East Coast Hydrogen partnership with Northern Gas Networks and Cadent, aimed at developing a regional hydrogen network.
The project is currently in its front-end engineering design phase, covering technical design, environmental assessments and planning consents. Public consultation on the proposals is expected later this year.
Hydrogen UK chief executive, Clare Jackson, 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.”
National Gas chief commercial officer, Ian Radley, said: “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.
“The East Coast is the natural place to start. It’s one of Britain’s most important industrial heartlands with enormous hydrogen potential, making it the ideal region to begin developing a network that can then scale across the country.
“Building Britain’s national hydrogen network will unlock major investment, create a critical pathway for hard‑to‑electrify industries to decarbonise, and safeguard thousands of jobs – all while supporting the Government’s clean power ambitions and strengthening the nation’s long‑term energy security.”
