Cadent launch consultation on HyNet North West Hydrogen Pipeline

WARRINGTON residents are being urged to have their say on Cadent’s plans to design, construct and operate the proposed new underground HyNet North West hydrogen pipeline.

Cadent’s HyNet North West Hydrogen Pipeline will take hydrogen produced at the Stanlow Manufacturing Complex to industrial users and power generators across the North West, supporting the switch away from natural gas to a low carbon economy in the region.

Warrington is one of the study areas for the new route and will be very involved in the wider HyNet project in the future.

This project has the potential to prevent 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year being emitted into the atmosphere by 2030. The project will also secure existing high skilled employment in the region and introduce new green jobs for future generations.

Cadent has identified potential route corridors for the pipeline. The pipeline will extend to Northwich, St Helens, Partington, Stanlow areas of the North West region. This draft proposal is the basis for this non-statutory public consultation.

Local people are now being asked to help Cadent develop the route of the pipeline and sites for other related infrastructure. The consultation will run until 23:59 on 11 March 2022. Cadent has launched an online consultation hub (www.hynethydrogenpipeline.co.uk) where people can find out more about the project and provide feedback. The project will also be holding eight in-person events across the project area and two webinars.

Rob Donovan, Cadent Head of Project Delivery for HyNet said: “We are interested to hear any information that might help us identify the best route for the pipeline. Although the pipeline will largely be underground and will not be routed underneath any homes, there will be some above ground installations. Therefore, we want to understand areas that are important to local people so we can continue to develop the project including our future construction plans in the most appropriate way.

“As the region’s gas distribution network, we’re committed to supporting a Net Zero Carbon future. This project will help achieve that and we’re excited to be sharing our early plans with people”.

The pipeline will be part of the HyNet North West low carbon cluster, an innovative low carbon and hydrogen energy project that will unlock a low carbon economy for the North West and North Wales. HyNet will support some of the North West’s biggest businesses and employers by delivering and maintaining thousands of jobs for local people and helping the region lead the way in the UK’s transition to Net Zero Carbon by 2050.

Potential routes can be seen via the following link https://feedback.hynethydrogenpipeline.co.uk/

In Warrington, Cadent has identified a spur off the main route corridor. This is needed to take hydrogen from the main pipeline to industrial users in the area. One part of the spur will travel north (in the direction of Sankey Way), and the other east (towards Latchford).

As part of this first stage of consultation, Cadent is asking local residents to provide any information that could help inform a route for the underground pipeline within this spur.

At this early stage, it is too soon to know specific impacts in Warrington. Feedback to the consultation, and detailed assessment work over the summer, will help Cadent understand more about potential impacts.

Cadent will hold another consultation on a detailed route for the pipeline later this year, where more information will be available on impacts and how they could be mitigated.