The Scottish Government is facing pressure to reject a proposed gas-fired power station in Aberdeenshire, as over 13,000 individuals have signed a petition opposing the development at Peterhead. Environmental activists have labelled the project as “dangerous and unnecessary,” arguing it would undermine efforts to transition to renewable energy and extend reliance on fossil fuels for another 25 years. Friends of the Earth Scotland, which submitted the petition to St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh, emphasized that the new site would lock households into paying high energy bills dictated by international markets.
The current proposal involves expanding the existing site with a new 910-megawatt gas-burning power station. Environmental groups have pointed out that the existing power plant is already considered Scotland’s biggest polluter. Speaking to Insider.co.uk, Freya Aitchison, a campaigner with Friends of the Earth, criticized the Scottish Government’s climate policies: “The Scottish Government is already failing on its climate targets, but instead of stepping up and taking climate action, it is considering approving this hugely polluting new power station.” She further stated that this development would increase emissions and burden the public with high energy costs for years.
SSE, in partnership with Equinor, plans to incorporate carbon capture technology at the site to reduce emissions by up to 90%. The captured greenhouse gases would be transported to St Fergus and stored in depleted oil wells in the North Sea. However, Friends of the Earth expressed scepticism about carbon capture technology, describing it as unproven and raising safety concerns. Aitchison urged a focus on renewable energy projects instead: “Thousands of people are supporting this campaign and telling ministers to reject this controversial development and instead focus on solutions that we know work, such as publicly owned renewable energy.”
Tommy Vickerstaff from 350.org UK also voiced opposition, stating: “Increasing the investment and capacity of Scotland’s number one polluter is dangerous and unnecessary. We urge the Scottish Government to reject these obsolete proposals and instead fund and support incredible renewable energy opportunities that are waiting to be unlocked across Scotland.” Vickerstaff highlighted the importance of ensuring retraining and support for workers transitioning from oil and gas sectors.
Earlier this year, Scottish ministers abandoned their target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, acknowledging that it was unlikely to be met.
