WSP has been appointed, supported by Kent, to work alongside National Gas to deliver a two-year programme of design, environmental assessment, consents, and public consultation for Project Union East Coast.  

WSP will act as the ‘FEED Integrator’, coordinating a multidisciplinary team that includes Murphy, Aecom and National Gas's hydrogen teams, with the expertise of Premzero and National Gas Services.  

Project Union will create a 1,500-mile core hydrogen network across Great Britain, starting on the East Coast initially linking Track-1 industrial clusters in the Humber and Teesside regions. Once operational, it will provide low-carbon hydrogen to power stations, industry and storage sites – unlocking the UK’s hydrogen economy at scale, enhancing energy security and protecting jobs.

Ian Radley, Chief Commercial Officer at National Gas, said:  

“This is a key milestone for National Gas and our work in delivering the UK’s hydrogen future. The start of FEED for Project Union East Coast marks the transition toward delivery for this pioneering project."

“We’re not just planning pipelines – we’re building a cleaner, more resilient energy system that will protect skilled jobs and power our future economy, servicing industries that can’t electrify and providing clean dispatchable power to compliment renewables.”

"We look forward to WSP working with our brilliant internal team of experts to achieve this ambition.”

WSP has a proven track record of aligning teams and delivery organisations to drive consistency, quality and on time delivery, with many years’ experience delivering FEED and acting as an Integrator on major programmes.

Ben Clarke, Project Director at WSP, said:  

“Project Union represents a vital step toward the UK’s low-carbon future, and we’re proud to be supporting National Gas in bringing this transformative vision to life. Delivering the FEED for the East Coast phase means shaping a future hydrogen network, and that calls for early collaboration, technical excellence, and deep-rooted partnerships.  

“Through our role as integrator, we will help align delivery across this complex programme, ensuring the right infrastructure is in place to connect industry, communities and clean energy at scale.”

The appointments follow the recent confirmation of £96 million in funding (in 2025/26 price base) from Ofgem for the East Coast Hydrogen programme, which includes Project Union East Coast.  

East Coast Hydrogen is a partnership led by National Gas, Cadent, and Northern Gas Networks and aims to create a hydrogen network that will transport the low-carbon energy source across the Northeast, the Humber, Yorkshire and the East Midlands.