ATCO EnPower, a division of Canadian Utilities Limited, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) have announced the completion and operational launch of hydrogen production and refuelling facilities in Calgary and Edmonton. These state-of-the-art facilities are pivotal to advancing CPKC’s Hydrogen Locomotive Program, an initiative aimed at retrofitting diesel locomotives with hydrogen fuel cells to eliminate direct emissions.
“These fuelling facilities are an important part of advancing the ongoing testing of our hydrogen locomotives and advancing the development of our industry-leading program working toward a lower carbon transportation future,” said Kyle Mulligan, CPKC’s Assistant Vice President of Operations Technology.
ATCO EnPower spearheaded the engineering, procurement, and construction of the dedicated onsite hydrogen refuelling stations and will oversee their operations under a new agreement. Mark Brown, Executive Vice President of Projects and Operations at ATCO EnPower, highlighted the significance of the achievement: “We are proud to announce the completion of the two hydrogen production and refuelling stations for CPKC. This advancement marks significant progress in utilizing hydrogen as a fuel source for commercial transportation and reflects ATCO EnPower’s commitment to building a sustainable future by providing innovative energy solutions for our customers.”
Each facility features a 1-megawatt (MW) electrolyzer, compression, storage, and dispensing systems designed specifically for locomotive refuelling. The Calgary site benefits from renewable electricity generated by CPKC’s 5 MW solar power facility co-located at the company’s headquarters, further enhancing the project’s environmental credentials.
These hydrogen production and refuelling facilities are expected to serve as blueprints for future hydrogen-powered rail infrastructure across Canada. By leveraging hydrogen’s potential, CPKC aims to lead the rail industry toward a cleaner, more efficient freight transportation model.
ATCO EnPower’s involvement reflects its growing influence in North America’s energy transition. The company continues to develop solutions in renewable energy, carbon capture, hydrogen technologies, and energy storage. Together, ATCO EnPower and CPKC are paving the way for a lower-carbon future in commercial transportation.