Costain Secures Pivotal Role in Cheshire Hydrogen Storage Megaproject

Infrastructure specialist Costain has been appointed by Storengy UK to lead the front-end engineering and design (FEED) for a groundbreaking hydrogen storage facility in Cheshire—one of the UK’s most ambitious low-carbon energy projects to date.

The Keuper Gas Storage Project, located near Northwich, will see 19 underground salt caverns repurposed to store up to 400 million cubic metres of hydrogen – equivalent to around 1,300 gigawatt hours of energy.

The project is a linchpin in the UK’s evolving hydrogen infrastructure, designed to bolster energy security and support industrial decarbonisation through the broader HyNet low-carbon cluster.

Costain will divide the design work into two FEED packages: the first covering the solution mining techniques needed to prepare the salt caverns, and the second focused on gas treatment, compression, and transport infrastructure to integrate the site with the HyNet network.

Design completion is scheduled for 2026, paving the way for a final investment decision. The project draws on Costain’s proven legacy in salt cavern development – particularly its long-standing work on the Holford brinefields and successful delivery of the nearby Stublach gas storage site.

“This is an exciting project that will enable a transformative hydrogen storage facility to improve the UK’s energy resilience and economic prosperity in the Northwest,” said Sam White, Costain’s managing director for natural resources.

Paul Snary, hydrogen director at Storengy UK, called the development “a key initiative” that will help decarbonise industry and energy generation in the region and beyond.