Labour politician attacks Wales 'exhaust pipe' plan

A Welsh Labour politician has spoken out against a UK government project to capture and store carbon emissions in north Wales.

The project will see a pipeline transporting carbon dioxide from north Wales and the north of England to a storage site in Liverpool.

But North Wales Member of the Senedd (MS) Carolyn Thomas said the project involved "unproven technology".

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, visiting north west England, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband to confirm the projects, said the move would "reignite our industrial heartlands" and "kickstart growth".

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The UK government pledged nearly £22bn for the projects, but some campaigners called it a lot of money to spend which will allow oil and gas production to continue.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Thomas said Wales was being used as an "exhaust pipe".

"It will have an ecological impact as well as a community impact," she said.

"The mitigation they’re offering is poor in ecological terms but also to communities."

Ministers have promised to develop the carbon capture storage technology, which is seen as crucial to the UK’s net zero goal.

Carbon capture and storage facilities aim to prevent CO2 produced from industrial processes and power stations from being released into the atmosphere.

Most of the CO2 produced is captured, transported, and then stored deep underground.

The UK government said the move would give industry confidence to invest in the UK, attracting £8bn of private investment, directly creating 4,000 jobs and supporting 50,000 in the long term.

Plaid Cymru energy spokesperson Llinos Medi welcomed the plan, but said the investment "cannot be at the expense of proven clean technologies".

The Ynys Môn MP said: "Only last month in the latest auction round for renewable energy projects, Wales only received a pitiful 1.63% of the investment.

"Time is running out for Wales to hit its 2030 climate goals.

"If the UK government is serious about meeting net zero targets and creating green jobs in north Wales, then it should be developing Wales’ energy potential at pace by increasing public investment in GB Energy and rapidly upgrading the electricity grid to cope with the new demand."

The UK government said it would ensure Wales played a leading role in making Britain a clean energy superpower.

"Carbon capture, usage and storage is a critical tool in our plan for clean power by 2030," it said.

"It is a proven technology that catches carbon dioxide at the source and buries it permanently beneath the seabed. An established regulatory regime is in place to assess the environmental effects of proposed carbon capture projects."