EnergyPathways PLC (AIM:EPP) CEO Ben Clube talked with Proactive about the latest developments in the company's MESH project and the recent partnership with engineering firm Costain. Clube explained that Costain brings extensive experience, particularly in the UK North West, and provides essential expertise in engineering solutions and salt cavern construction—an important element of the MESH storage component.
Clube confirmed that Costain joins other key stakeholders including Siemens Energy, Hazer, and KBR in progressing the project through its engineering study phase. “We’re straight into working through those with those partners,” he said, noting that the goal is to deliver an optimised development design to benefit the UK economy and shareholders.
He outlined upcoming project milestones, including moving into the development phase and obtaining necessary government approvals. A gas storage licence application is already in process, with other regulatory permits expected to follow.
On regulatory engagement, Clube said, “We’re about to launch a further engagement with various aspects of government,” highlighting plans to consult ministers, departments such as DESNZ, regulators including the Crown Estate and NSTA, and local MPs and councils.
This comprehensive engagement is part of EnergyPathways’ broad-based strategy to position MESH as a vital part of the UK’s energy transition.
Proactive Ben, can you tell us more about the role Costain will play in advancing the projects and why are they the right partner for this stage?
Ben Clube: We're really pleased to have Costain on board with the MESH project. It's another key pillar to bringing in important stakeholders' engineering capability to develop what is an innovative, clean energy solution for the UK. Costain’s role in this is on a number of fronts. Their expertise is as an established UK-centric engineering house with expertise across a number of technologies, but in particular in this area of the UK, in the North West, where they have deep expertise in engineering solutions and in the community and stakeholders of the region.
They provide an important bridge for the project in progressing projects into those phases. Also, Costain has significant expertise in salt cavern construction, and that's an important part of our storage project. We'll be looking in due course to bring Costain into that part of our development.
Proactive: You’ve now got several major parties on board, Ben. How close is MESH to reaching the ready-to-go status, and what are the next critical milestones?
Ben Clube: So, with all of our key stakeholders that we've brought on board — Siemens Energy, Hazer, KBR, and Costain — we're now working through the engineering study engagements that are all about optimising the MESH development. We’re straight into working through those with those partners.
At the conclusion of those activities, we’ll have an optimised development design that seeks to maximise the energy benefits to the UK economy, as well as obviously to maximising value for our shareholders. Then we'll be looking to progress into the development phase. Key milestones that we have going forward will be the various government approvals to support the project.
We have in that process a gas storage license application, which we're hoping to hear about soon. There will be other relevant applications and permits that we’ll also be engaging with the government.
Proactive: I think government support is clearly crucial to energy transition projects like MESH. How are you engaging with policymakers or regulators at this stage, Ben?
Ben Clube: We're about to launch a further engagement with various aspects of government — various elements of government across the various regulatory bodies involved. That includes government ministers, it includes the departments, the most relevant one being DESNZ (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero), and as well the relevant regulators such as the Crown Estate and the NSTA (North Sea Transition Authority).
So, we’ll have very much a broad-brush approach to government engagement. I probably should also add involvement with relevant MPs representing their communities and local councils. So it’s a very broad-range approach to government engagement.
Proactive: Ben, I hope you'll keep us updated on progress on all those fronts. Thank you very much for speaking with us today.