DWP shifts toward hydrogen despite concerns

Some environmental groups question clean energy transition at plant

- HAYLEY SMITH

THE SCATTERGOOD plant in Playa del Rey will get an $800-million conversion.

(JAY L. CLENDENIN Los Angeles Times)

The board of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has approved a controversial plan to convert part of the city's largest natural gas-fired power plant into one that also can burn hydrogen.

In a 3-0 vote Tuesday, the board signed off on the final environmental impact report for an $800-million modernization of Units 1 and 2 of the Scattergood Generating Station in Playa del Rey.

The power plant dates to the late 1950s and both units are legally required to be shut down by the end of 2029. In their place, the DWP will install new combined-cycle turbines that are expected to operate on a mixture of natural gas and at least 30% hydrogen with the ultimate goal of running entirely on hydrogen as more supply becomes available.

The hydrogen burned at Scattergood is supposed to be green, meaning it is produced by splitting water molecules through a process called electrolysis. Hydrogen does not emit planetwarming carbon dioxide when it is burned, unlike natural gas.

The city-run utility says Scattergood's conversion is integral to L.A.'s goal of reaching 100% renewable energy by 2035.

"This project is critical to LADWP's clean energy transition as it helps us preserve a key power system asset, meet our clean energy goals, and ensures reliability for our customers," Senior Assistant General Manager David Hanson said. "The Scattergood modernization project is the No. 1 priority on the power system's "Top 10' priority list. This project is essential."

But the plan has many detractors, including a number of local environmental groups that say it will prolong the life of the city's fossil fuel infrastructure when L.A. should be investing heavily in more proven clean technologies such as solar, wind and battery energy storage.