Boris Johnson's new UK energy strategy must include investment in a north-east carbon capture project, according to group of MPs.
The UK Government was widely criticised for its decision to place the Scottish Cluster in reserve, opting instead to immediately progress two schemes in England.
The SNP says Westminster must now act to include the site within its upcoming energy strategy and “right the wrongs of the past”.
A letter to Energy Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, signed by the party’s north-east MPs, hits out at the UK Government for having “continued to withhold funding to the Acorn site”.
The Scottish Government has put £80 million on the table for the project, in a bid to encourage Westminster to take forward the plans.
Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn, who is also the SNP’s business spokesman, said the decision not to back the project was a “complete betrayal of the north-east”.
He added: “In January, the Scottish Government stepped in with £80m for the project, but in order to reach its full potential we need the UK Government to stop dragging their feet and invest too.
“That is why, alongside my colleagues from the north-east, we have written to the secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, urging him to use the upcoming energy strategy to create a track 1 carbon capture site in the north-east of Scotland which, in turn, will create up to 20,600 jobs in the next decade.
“We know that the Treasury will reap the rewards of inflated oil and gas prices, with £13.6 billion of additional income generated from Scotland’s resources, and a further £6bn earned from the Emissions Trading Scheme.
“This money must be used to invest in the ‘Scottish cluster’ if we are to meet our emissions reduction milestones, and for a just transition to net- zero – not just for Scotland, but across the UK.
“If the secretary of state fails to deliver on this, he – alongside his Tory colleagues – will have betrayed the people of Scotland yet again.”
The UK Government will outline its plans for the future of energy on Thursday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been holding talks with figures from the nuclear, renewables, and North Sea oil and gas sector ahead of the launch.
A UK Government spokeswoman said: “We are committed to making the UK a world-leader in green technology, including carbon capture. The Acorn project has already been allocated more than £40m in development funding by the UK Government in recent years, and we want to make sure the cluster can get maximum value from this support going forward.
“The strong potential of the Acorn project has been confirmed by the bidding process – which is just the start.
“We will continue to work with the Scottish Government to help the cluster continue its development.”