12-03-2025
Hydrogen plant promises jobs at old Chapelcross nuclear site
A green hydrogen project hopes to deliver dozens of new jobs next to a former nuclear power station site in southern Cat Hydrogen (GCH) said its proposed development at Chapelcross, near Annan, could help to decarbonise local nuclear plant ceased generating electricity in 2004 and its cooling towers came down a few years later.A plan for turning the area into a "green energy hub" was unveiled last year, backed by funding from the Scottish and UK governments.
Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable hydrogen it produces can then be used as a fuel which does not emit polluting said its facility would support about 50 high-skilled jobs once it was operational plus about 150 during it is up and running the company said it could produce more than 4,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year - reducing carbon dioxide emissions by up to 26,000 tonnes a firm said that was the equivalent of planting 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of broadleaf engineering and environmental studies for the project have started and a planning application is being drawn to that the company will hold two public consultation events - the first of which will be on 1 April at Creca Village was set up in 2022 and is developing other projects in Scotland including in Perthshire and Orkney.
Chief executive Gavin Catto said: "We are committed to listening to the community's views and working closely with local stakeholders."The current project at Chapelcross is just the first phase of what we hope will develop into a significant partnership for GCH and our counterparts."The project represents a significant contribution to the transformation of Chapelcross into a major hub for this exciting new technology."Jane Morrison-Ross, chief executive at South of Scotland Enterprise, said it was delighted to have GCH on board."We know that Chapelcross is perfectly placed in the middle of the UK, and its history and future reflect the importance of innovation in energy production," she said."GCH's proposals highlight again the south is the perfect place to invest and do business."We would encourage the local community to engage with the upcoming public engagement events to find out more about GCH's plans."
