After submitting its Development Consent Order (DCO) for Keadby Next Generation last August, the plans have now been accepted for examination by the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

Following consultation with local authorities, communities and stakeholders, an examination process will now begin in the Humber estuary.

The final decision on the project will sit with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband.

SSE claimed it’s the first time a UK power station designed to run on hydrogen and natural gas has reached this stage in the DCO process.

From 2030, the plant will operate on a blend of hydrogen and natural gas. The goal is to transition to 100% hydrogen as soon as it is technically and commercially feasible.

Keadby’s Humber location places it close to planned hydrogen production, storage and pipeline projects.

For example, Equinor, Centrica and SSE have jointly proposed the H2H Easington hub, targeting over 2GW of blue and green hydrogen.

SSE and Equinor are also advancing their own production and storage projects, including the Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder, which is expected to connect to Easington via a dedicated pipeline

The Keadby project also aligns with wider government policy.

In 2024, the UK pledged a dedicated business model for hydrogen-to-power (H2P), built on the dispatchable power agreement (DPA) framework used in carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), to support deployment and attract private capital.