By BEX Staff for AZBEX
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hear a rezoning and comprehensive general plan amendment for a planned hydrogen facility on 170 acres at the NEC of Salome Highway and 523rd Avenue near Tonopah.
The hearing is set for Nov. 15. A news story published Nov. 2 incorrectly reported the Board had already approved the requests in its Nov. 1 meeting. The Nov. 1 action merely set the hearing on the Board’s Nov. 15 agenda.
Project documents say partners Linde PLC and NextEra Energy Resources LLC plan to invest up to $1B to develop the plant.
Gila Hydrogen Facility will have capacity to produce up to 120 metric tons of liquid hydrogen per day.
Up to 300 construction jobs could be involved in the development. After completion, the plant is expected to create 30 jobs on-site and 60 for distribution drivers. The expected 20-year economic benefits include as much as $40M in state and local property taxes.
According to documents submitted to Maricopa County, development is planned in a single phase. Construction is expected to begin in 2024 and last approximately 30 months. Initial operations could begin at some point in 2025, since portions of the facility can come online as they deliver. Full operations are expected in mid-2026.
