Stop new gas power at Peterhead

Learn more about the Peterhead proposals

Energy giant SSE and the fossil fuel company Equinor are proposing to build a new and additional gas burning plant next to the existing gas plant at Peterhead power station. The additional plant could produce 910MW of electricity alongside the existing 1180 MW plant. 

The developers were predicting that it would not be operational until 2027 at the earliest, although concerted campaigning has slowed this down. Official documents admit the new plant could be running until 2055 at least. 

The current Peterhead plant was Scotland’s single biggest climate polluter from 2018 to 2020 and again in 2022, when it produced 1.35 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.  

The proposal expects reduced capacity at the existing Peterhead power station but does not rule out both plants operating at full capacity. This risks a significant increase in climate pollution if both plants run simultaneously. 

What role does carbon capture play at Peterhead? 

SSE says that Equinor will attempt to add carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to the new plant. Evidence from around the world has demonstrated that carbon capture projects frequently fail and always underperform.  

On the rare occasion carbon capture becomes operational, the plants capture far less carbon than industry has predicted. This will be at least the third attempt to make carbon capture work in Peterhead, with two previous failures allied to the existing plant in 2007 and 2015.  

 The modelling done by the developers of this project was based on gas plants just 1/20th of the size of what is proposed at Peterhead. 

The Peterhead project would require the proposed Acorn carbon capture project to be operational before it would could function properly. As of August 2026, the Acorn project is still only on the drawing board, with one of its lead developers pulling out in December 2025. 

Why does Friends of the Earth Scotland oppose it? 

Climate science is very clear that Scotland should be transitioning to powering our lives with renewable energy, not building new fossil fuel infrastructure. These plans would make a huge climate polluter even worse, creating pollution until after 2055, long after when Scotland is supposed to have ended our contribution to climate breakdown.  

Research has shown the developers failed to account for almost 1 million tonnes of climate pollution per year associated with the project. Analysis by Carbon Tracker suggested its climate impact could be 5 times greater than the companies claimed in their original Environmental Impact Assessment, submitted as part of the planning application. 

This long-term commitment to using fossil fuels gives another excuse for oil and gas companies to keep on exploring and drilling for new fields in the North Sea. 

What will the plant’s impact be on electricity bills? 

A new gas burning power plant in Scotland would keep the price of electricity locked on the volatile cost of gas for decades to come.  

The price of gas is determined by international fossil fuel markets. It rose sharply after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, pushing up energy bills for everyone in the UK. The Iran conflict in 2026 caused a similar spike in prices and the Energy Price Cap rose again.  

The true climate cost of new gas at Peterhead

Independent research reveals this project could be 5 times worse for the climate than originally feared.

Research estimates total pollution could be 1 million tonnes higher per year than SSE and Equinor admitted in planning documents.

The Scottish Government failed to order these companies to do an honest assessment of its climate harm.

Revealed: Peterhead gas climate impact

Scot Gov breaches its rules on Peterhead

Our research has exposed the way ministers have mishandled the planning application for new gas power.

This shows scores of meetings with developers SSE and Equinor whilst refusing to meet objectors, lost meeting records, ministers speaking publicly in favour of the project and even the First Minister visiting the Peterhead site.

Read more

How people power has resisted new Peterhead gas

We exposed the climate harm of this project, supported an epic cycle and continued to make the case against the failing technology of carbon capture.

Continuing to resist – the fight against carbon capture at Peterhead and beyond 

Carbon Capture and Storage explainer

The developers claim they will add Carbon Capture and Storage to the Peterhead plant at an unspecified later date. But how feasible is it and why should we be worried about its false positioning as a climate solution?

This easy to read guide answers questions about CCS, and sets out our deep concerns about the plan to include it in our energy system.

Read more

5 reasons why carbon capture should not be relied upon

The case against CCS is damning.

We look at how this greenwashing technology could keep us locked into expensive fossil fuel use for decades to come.

Read more

Dozens of groups demand Scottish Government reject Peterhead plans

Fuel poverty, climate and environmental protection groups write to Ministers to raise risks of new fossil fuel power to people and planet.

They were concerned that project will lock household bills to costly gas for decades to come + endanger climate commitments.

Read more

Revealed: Fossil fuel lobbying

We unearthed nearly 800 meetings between oil and gas companies and MSPs or Scottish Government Ministers.

These companies are using their power to delay climate action, push dodgy technology like carbon capture and cosy up to decision makers.

Polluted Politics: The fossil fuel lobby at Holyrood

The whole Peterhead plan is built on the rotten foundations of carbon capture, which is a technology with a long, inglorious history of repeated failures. Experience shows us that carbon capture, if it is ever added, will not work at the rates promised by industry, and risks us falling even further behind our climate targets.

Alex Lee, Climate Campaigner