NW Natural started adding hydrogen to natural gas for homes in southeast Portland without informing residents and despite any potential risks. (Lynne Terry/Oregon Capital Chronicle)
Like many of my neighbors in southeast Portland, I recently learned about an alarming project in our area: NW Natural has quietly begun blending hydrogen into the gas piped into our homes for use in appliances like stoves and furnaces.
This news motivated me to explore the potential consequences of this change to our gas supply, and I think all Portland residents should be aware of the risks.
What I learned is concerning. Hydrogen is more prone to leakage , more flammable and more explosive than methane gas. A study in Britain found that explosions would increase fourfold if hydrogen were to replace gas in homes. While the current amount of hydrogen being piped into homes is very small , NW Natural plans to increase the volume substantially. I didn’t sign up for this – and I don’t want hydrogen in my home.
Even more troubling than the immediate risks is the lack of transparency surrounding this project. No one knocked on my door to inform me about these changes to my gas service. NW Natural conducted no community outreach before launching this project. More alarmingly, Oregon regulators didn’t approve it – the utility exploited a regulatory loophole, bypassing the common oversight seen in similar projects nationwide.
This isn’t the first time NW Natural has attempted such a project. A few years ago, the company abandoned a similar hydrogen-blending initiative in Eugene following community opposition. The fact that NW Natural is now quietly implementing this in Portland, without addressing the concerns that led to the Eugene project’s cancellation, is deeply troubling.
NW Natural claims this project is part of its pathway to reduce emissions. However, environmental groups agree that hydrogen should never be used in homes. Multiple independent studies have concluded that hydrogen gas will play no significant role in home heating or addressing the climate crisis in the future. There are better pathways that will lower emissions and improve our lives in Portland, not endanger them.
Instead of this risky experiment, Oregon should pursue safer, more effective ways to cut fossil fuel pollution in our homes like electric heat pumps. I recently upgraded to a heat pump, and I love it. It’s safer, cleaner and highly efficient. Heat pumps cut climate pollution from Oregon homes by 41% in the first year compared to the gas furnaces.
My heat pump also provides my home with cooling, which I am grateful for as Oregon faces increasingly hot summers. Many of my neighbors lack adequate cooling systems, leaving them vulnerable to extreme heat events. As heat waves become more severe due to climate change, it’s vital that communities receive support in preparing our homes for the challenges ahead.
As a longtime Portland resident, it’s alarming to think NW Natural is operating without proper oversight and transparency, especially given the history of community pushback in Eugene. Our state has better options than hydrogen blending to reduce emissions. As we move towards upgrading homes with highly efficient electric equipment, we cannot allow profit-driven fossil fuel corporations like NW Natural to push hazardous projects that put Oregonians at risk.
It’s time for our leaders to consider the impact of this dangerous experiment and support Oregonians in accessing modern technologies that will make our lives better. Our safety, health, and climate future depend on it. The residents of Eugene showed that community action can stop these risky projects – now it’s Portland’s turn to stand up for our safety and our future.
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