Mrvan presses energy secretary for Northwest Indiana hydrogen hub

The fate of a $1 billion Midwestern hydrogen hub that would include a hydrogen plant in Whiting is up in the air after a new administration took over, but U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, continues the push to bring it to Northwest Indiana.

Last week, Mrvan pressed Secretary of Energy Chris White on the Midwest Regional MachH2 hydrogen that's expected to bring 16,000 construction jobs to Northwest Indiana. During a House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee hearing, Mrvan noted the program had been paused for review and asked what criteria were being considered during the review.

"We have made zero decisions on projects yet," White said. "Key to me was to get thorough data and a process, a process that was thoughtful, thorough and deliberate."

Mrvan said he was working in a bipartisan way with Republicans like Gov. Mike Braun and U.S. Sens. Todd Young and Jim Banks to bring the project to the Region.

"It allows for our steel industries to have a cleaner distribution by capturing carbon," Mrvan said. "It is a blue hydrogen, and it is something that will be transformational, transformational in economic development within my community. This is something that creates work and wealth and has passed the Congress."

White said seven approved hydrogen hubs around the country are now undergoing feasibility studies. The Department of Energy funded studies to look at the economics, capital sources and users, White said.

"We are just looking the same way any business would look at investments," White said. "We are looking at the legal aspects, the technology, the engineering and the market."

Both U.S. Steel and Cleveland-Cliffs have created systems at their Northwest Indiana steel mills to be able to use hydrogen in their blast furnaces, Mrvan said.

"They would be able to make more globally competitive steel and put less carbon out in my district, so we have cleaner air and water," Mrvan said.