East Wenatchee Landfill To Become Renewable Natural Gas Facility

A plan is in place to build a $43 million renewable natural gas (RNG) facility in East Wenatchee.

An agreement calls for the company NW Natural to construct the facility at the Greater Wenatchee Regional Landfill at 191 Webb Road.

The facility is expected to convert landfill gas into enough natural gas per year (about 300,000 Metric Million British Thermal Units) to heat roughly 10,000 homes.

The facility is expected to start operations next year.

NW Natural is a subsidiary of NW Natural Holding Company of Portland, Oregon. It'll be investing in the construction and engineering of the RNG equipment and will build a pipeline for the project that'll connect with the Cascade Natural Gas pipeline system for distribution around the Pacific Northwest.

NW Natural's partner in the agreement is the owner of Greater Wenatchee Regional Landfill, WM, formerly Waste Management.

According to WM, the Regional Landfill has earned a Wildlife Habitat Council certification for enhancing biodiversity.

WN also operates the Wenatchee transfer station and provides waste services to Cashmere, Leavenworth, East Wenatchee, Rock Island, Wenatchee and throughout Chelan and Douglas counties.

NW Natural has contracted to purchase landfill gas from WM for the next 20 years. The project at the East Wenatchee landfill is NW Natural’s first Pacific Northwest RNG investment.