Douglas County PUD Opens Nation’s First Public Hydrogen Plant

Douglas County PUD cut the ribbon on a renewable hydrogen production facility Wednesday.

A First for Public Utilities

PUD General Manager Gary Ivory to the event on National Hydrogen Day. Ivory said this new hydrogen plant in the Baker Flats area of East Wenatchee is part of the PUD's future vision.

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"Douglas PUD has a history of being innovative from building a dam on the Columbia River to stringing fiber optics around the county," Ivory said. "I don’t think 80 years ago they would have ever thought little Douglas PUD would be doing a cutting-edge project like this.”

Under construction since March 2021, the District is close to commissioning the first renewable hydrogen production facility in the nation that is owned and operated by a public utility. The PUD said the pilot project will provide flexibility for operations at its Wells Hydroelectric Project.

How Renewable Hydrogen Is Produced

The PUD said the hydrogen plant will reduce maintenance on the turbine and other parts because it can absorb excess generation requests.

Hydrogen is produced by separating hydrogen and oxygen molecules in water through electrolysis. The five megawatt electrolyzer is able to produce two metric tons of hydrogen a day at full capacity.

After Commissioners cut the ribbon, staff took questions from the community, ranging from safety to economics to operations.

The facility is closed to the public due to its industrial nature.