Los Angeles, CA – The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power unveiled its Strategic Long-Term Resource Plan (SLTRP) today after fierce criticism of climate justice groups who slammed the Board’s reliance on hydrogen — particularly as it applies to fossil fuel infrastructure.

The Plan represents the Department of Water and Power’s roadmap for achieving 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, laying out specific guidelines and benchmarks. Included in the proposal is a retrofit of the Haynes and Scattergood natural gas plants with “green hydrogen,” allowing the plants to continue operating near disadvantaged neighborhoods.

“LADWP is missing the mark with this near-sighted plan,” Food & Water Watch’s Senior LA Organizer Jasmin Vargas said after the meeting. “Burning hydrogen in-basin perpetuates the hazards faced by frontline communities and risks extending the life of fossil fuel infrastructure. LADWP must focus on community-centered energy solutions that are truly renewable instead of retrofitting natural gas plants that should be decommissioned. We can’t afford to waste our precious water resources or ratepayer funds on hydrogen boondoggles.”

Even hydrogen produced by electrolysis releases nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions when burned, leading to smog formation and respiratory illness. Burning hydrogen can produce six times more NOx emissions than burning methane alone. And while LADWP has established a goal of running the Haynes and Scattergood plants on green hydrogen by 2029, it has not yet ruled out combining hydrogen with natural gas in the interim. 

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Contact: Jessica Gable, (202) 683-2478, [email protected]