Doctors and safety experts tell UTC hydrogen blending pilot risks safety and should not be funded through rates
September 29, 2026 | Board Council Commission Agencies , Executive, Washington
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Health and pipeline-safety concerns featured repeatedly at the hearing.
Dr. Kathleen Saul, a long-time ratepayer and physician, warned that hydrogen is more leak-prone than methane and can embrittle steel pipelines, increasing the risk of leaks and flame flashback. "Hydrogen should be reserved for only the most hard to decarbonize uses," she said, and stressed that customers should not pay for hydrogen experiments.
Other commenters cited studies saying blends under roughly 20% are not meaningful for emissions reductions without wide-scale infrastructure upgrades. Several urged the commission to reject PSE s $3.4M blending pilot cost recovery from rates and to require proof of safety and cost-effectiveness before allowing customer-funded trials.
Dr. Kathleen Saul, a long-time ratepayer and physician, warned that hydrogen is more leak-prone than methane and can embrittle steel pipelines, increasing the risk of leaks and flame flashback. "Hydrogen should be reserved for only the most hard to decarbonize uses," she said, and stressed that customers should not pay for hydrogen experiments.
Other commenters cited studies saying blends under roughly 20% are not meaningful for emissions reductions without wide-scale infrastructure upgrades. Several urged the commission to reject PSE s $3.4M blending pilot cost recovery from rates and to require proof of safety and cost-effectiveness before allowing customer-funded trials.
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