UK East Coast Hydrogen Pipeline £3.83 Million Design Contract Awarded

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 8, the East Coast Hydrogen infrastructure design task involving UK engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald drew attention. Northern Gas Networks had previously awarded the front-end engineering design contract for the project to Mott MacDonald, with a contract value of approximately £3.8764 million. The scope of work includes studying engineering solutions for converting existing natural gas pipelines and constructing new hydrogen transmission facilities. UK public procurement award records show that the contract was awarded on June 7, 2026, and published on June 8.

Under the award arrangement, Mott MacDonald is responsible for the engineering design lot, while RSK Environment secured the planning, environmental and permitting lot, valued at approximately £2.4188 million. The two lots total approximately £6.2952 million, both forming part of the front-end engineering design and approval preparation work for the East Coast Hydrogen project. The engineering design scope covers pipeline route options, requirements for modifying existing facilities, configuration of new pipeline networks, and preliminary investment cost estimation.

Northern Gas Networks is currently planning two hydrogen transmission pipelines. The Humber region pipeline is approximately 110 kilometers long, proposed to extend from Saltend to near Knottingley, connecting the Humber industrial area with West Yorkshire; the Teesside region pipeline is approximately 65 kilometers long, planned to extend from near Newton Aycliffe to Skinningrove on the east coast. The two routes total approximately 175 kilometers and will combine existing natural gas pipeline conversion with newly built facilities to form a regional hydrogen transmission network.

This design task forms part of the East Coast Hydrogen program for which Northern Gas Networks is responsible. The overall program is jointly promoted by Northern Gas Networks, Cadent and National Gas, covering industrial areas including Teesside, Humber, Yorkshire and the East Midlands, and is planned to connect hydrogen production facilities, storage facilities and industrial users. The delivery plan published by the project parties in 2023 proposed a phased approach to converting existing natural gas pipelines and building dedicated hydrogen pipeline networks.

According to the implementation timetable published by Northern Gas Networks, the relevant engineering design and development work is scheduled for 2026–2027, with plans to submit front-end engineering design research results to UK energy regulator Ofgem in autumn 2027, and to launch the scheduled development consent application process in 2028. Construction of new and converted pipelines is expected to begin as early as 2030, with specific construction arrangements depending on subsequent approval outcomes.