Hydrogen plant bonanza for OHH

The Olney Hamilton Hospital stands to benefit from the planned windfarm and hydrogen plant more than expected, hospital Administrator Mike Huff told the OHH board at their June 2 meeting. “The original assessment was $281 million but it has become $600 million because of inflation and expansion of the project,” he said. Although the hydrogen plant, built by Plug Power of New York, has been delayed for several months because of supply chain problems, “all in all it’s looking great,” he said. The plant should be completed in 18 months, and annual tax revenue from the plant and Young Wind Project wind farm – estimated at about $1.5 million each – will go toward a new hospital plant within, he said.

“That’s double and the same [assessment] as the wind farm. So all things considered this is looking very promising,” he said. “This is much better than the original assessment.”

Mr. Huff said the hospital district should collect part of the tax assessments in 2024, and will begin collecting the full amount in 2025. OHH has “everything we need to price [a new hospital] out” and is speaking with lenders now, Mr. Huff said.