Okanogan PUD explores hydrogen fuel cell project

OKANOGAN - After receiving a $1.6 million appropriation in the Washington State capital budget, the PUD is exploring the feasibility of building a 100-Kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell in the Okanogan substation.

The fuel cell would produce electricity to supplement the PUD's energy supply, particularly during the winter. This could reduce the amount of purchases the PUD must make on the open power market, which can have extremely high prices. The 100-kW size is small, only enough to power about 10 average homes. But if this pilot program is successful, it could be expanded to other uses, such as backup power for critical facilities, or additional production of electricity up to 1-2 Megawatts.

Given Douglas County PUD’s construction of a hydrogen production plant, Okanogan PUD could have access to the needed hydrogen fuel.