The Environmental Permitting (Electricity Generating Stations) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
Established new decarbonisation readiness requirements for power stations in England through mandatory technical assessments and feasibility studies for environmental permits.
The regulations establish new requirements for electricity generating stations in England to demonstrate their readiness for future decarbonisation through either carbon capture and storage (CCS) or hydrogen conversion.
Operators must submit detailed technical and economic feasibility assessments when applying for environmental permits, proving they can meet specific conditions for either CCS readiness or hydrogen conversion readiness.
The regulations replace existing Carbon Capture Readiness requirements and extend to both inland and territorial waters adjacent to England.
Arguments For
Provides a clear regulatory framework for ensuring future power stations can be adapted for low-carbon operation, supporting the UK's net zero goals
Offers flexibility by allowing operators to choose between carbon capture readiness or hydrogen conversion readiness
Creates standardized assessment criteria for evaluating decarbonisation readiness across all qualifying facilities
Includes practical exemptions for specific types of generators where decarbonisation requirements would be impractical
Arguments Against
May increase initial costs and complexity for new power station developments through additional technical assessments and space requirements
Could potentially delay new generating capacity deployment due to added permitting requirements
May face implementation challenges due to uncertainties around future CCS infrastructure and hydrogen supply chains
Economic feasibility assessments may be challenging given the evolving nature of decarbonisation technologies
The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers in sections 2 and 7(9) of, and Schedule 1 to, the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 ('the 1999 Act').
The regulations are created under legal powers granted by the 1999 Pollution Prevention and Control Act, establishing their statutory authority and legal basis.
PART 1 - Introductory
- Citation and commencement (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Environmental Permitting (Electricity Generating Stations) (Amendment) Regulations 2025. (2) These Regulations come into force on 28th February 2026.
Sets the official name of the regulations and establishes their start date as February 28, 2026.
The timing allows industry stakeholders to prepare for the new requirements.
- Extent and application (1) This Part and Part 3 extend to England and Wales and Scotland. (2) Part 2 extends to England and Wales. (3) Part 2 applies in relation to— (a) England, and (b) the sea adjacent to England out as far as the seaward boundary of the territorial sea.
Defines the geographical scope of different sections of the regulations.
While some parts apply across Great Britain, the core requirements specifically target England and its territorial waters.
Related
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 9 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026
Abolished the office of the Information Commissioner and transferred all regulatory functions to the Information Commission effective September 2026.
Read MoreThe Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust (Establishment) (Amendment) Order 2026
Adjusted the HGV Road User Levy rates for various vehicle categories and emissions classes starting 1 April 2024.
Read MoreThe Response to the Committee on Climate Change Report (Extension of Period) Order 2026
Extended the statutory deadline for the UK government to respond to the Climate Change Committee's 2026 report to 17 December 2026.
Read MoreThe Motor Vehicles (Type Approval and Approval Marks) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
Increased the hourly rates for vehicle examinations and introduced new charges for specialist technical analysis and the use of government testing equipment.
Read More