Recently, the General Office of the Cangzhou Municipal People's Government issued the "Cangzhou Hydrogen Refueling Station Management Measures (Trial)" (Cang Zheng Ban Gui [2026] No. 1), systematically regulating the planning, construction, and operation of hydrogen refueling stations within Cangzhou. The measures take effect on the date of issuance and are valid for 2 years. The previous "Cangzhou Hydrogen Refueling Station Management Measures (Trial)" (Cang Zheng Ban Gui [2024] No. 3) is simultaneously repealed.
Scope of Application and Management Responsibilities
Hydrogen refueling stations as defined in these measures refer to dedicated facilities for filling hydrogen fuel into the hydrogen storage cylinders of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicles, or hydrogen-natural gas hybrid fuel vehicles, including standalone hydrogen refueling stations and combined hydrogen refueling stations. These measures apply to the supervision and management of the planning, construction, and operation of hydrogen refueling stations within Cangzhou. The construction and operation of gasoline stations, gas stations, and charging stations within various combined hydrogen refueling stations shall continue to follow their original regulations.
The municipal gas management department is responsible for guiding the industry management of hydrogen refueling stations. Market supervision and administration, emergency management, administrative approval, development and reform, natural resources and planning, transportation, and other departments shall perform their relevant duties in accordance with their respective responsibilities. The hydrogen refueling station management department designated by the people's government of each county (city, district) is responsible for the operation management of hydrogen refueling stations within its administrative area. Self-use hydrogen refueling facilities and equipment shall be subject to safety supervision by the industry management department to which the user belongs.
Planning and Construction: Encouraging Intensive Land Use and Combined Construction
The measures specify that people's governments at or above the county level shall coordinate hydrogen refueling station work within their administrative areas. Development and reform departments shall reasonably formulate municipal and county-level special plans or layout schemes for hydrogen refueling stations based on territorial spatial planning, energy planning, hydrogen energy development planning, and gas development planning.
Regarding land use policy, commercial hydrogen refueling stations shall in principle be on commercial land, while a "transitional period support policy" also applies. Provided that planning requirements are met and safety is ensured, enterprises are supported in using existing industrial and other types of land to build commercial and non-commercial hydrogen refueling stations, with transitional policy support for a period not exceeding 5 years.Intensive use of land for hydrogen refueling station construction is encouraged. Legally built gasoline (gas) stations are supported in using existing land to renovate (expand) into hydrogen refueling stations, and newly planned gasoline (gas) stations are encouraged to plan and build hydrogen refueling facilities simultaneously.
The measures also specify that in specific scenarios such as ports, airports, and various industrial parks; parking yards for vehicles in key sectors such as urban public transit, sanitation, and logistics; key hydrogen-producing or hydrogen-using enterprises in electric power, chemical, metallurgical, and other industries; and areas along relevant transport demonstration routes such as dedicated logistics lines, enterprises may build non-commercial self-use hydrogen refueling facilities and equipment through leasing or on their own construction land. Non-commercial hydrogen refueling facilities and equipment shall not provide commercial services to external parties. If conversion to a commercial hydrogen refueling station is necessary, it shall comply with the special plan for hydrogen refueling stations.
Construction Standards and Approval Procedures
The design, construction, and building of hydrogen refueling stations shall comply with the "Technical Code for Hydrogen Refueling Stations" (GB50516-2010) (2021 edition), "Safety Technical Code for Hydrogen Refueling Stations" (GB/T34584-2017), "Specifications for Supporting Facilities for Demonstration Operation of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles" (GB/T24549-2012), "Technical Standard for Hydrogen Refueling of Automobile Hydrogen Refueling Stations" (GB50156-2021), and other relevant standards and specifications.
For new construction, renovation, or expansion of hydrogen refueling station projects, the construction unit shall apply to relevant departments in accordance with the approval procedures for construction projects in this municipality and handle project initiation, land use planning permits, project planning permits, construction permits, completion acceptance, and other procedures. Before the state or province issues hydrogen refueling station operation licensing policies, and provided that the special plan for hydrogen refueling stations is complied with, the administrative approval department shall issue gas operation licenses with reference to the management model for natural gas refueling stations, in accordance with the "Urban Gas Management Regulations," the "Hebei Province Gas Operation Licensing Implementation Measures," and other provisions. The gas source type on the gas operation license shall be "hydrogen."
The measures also provide clear provisions for the installation and construction of special equipment such as hydrogen storage vessels and pressure pipelines, safety pre-evaluation and safety acceptance evaluation, and design document review. Hydrogen refueling station construction projects shall comply with the "three simultaneities" requirement of the "Work Safety Law of the People's Republic of China," meaning that safety facilities must be designed, constructed, and put into production and use simultaneously with the main part of the project.
Operation Management and Safety Assurance
In terms of operation management, hydrogen refueling stations shall obtain a filling license before commencing operation. Filling units are prohibited from filling cylinders that have not undergone use registration, have not passed periodic inspection, have been illegally modified or refurbished, or have been retired, as well as other cylinders that do not meet safety technical specifications. When a hydrogen refueling station needs to suspend, cease, or resume operations, it shall properly carry out work safety measures.
In terms of safety management, hydrogen supplied by hydrogen refueling stations shall comply with the "Fuel Hydrogen for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Vehicles" (GB/T 37244-2018) and other relevant standards. Special equipment shall undergo periodic inspection and annual inspection in accordance with relevant safety technical specifications. The measures specify six categories of prohibited acts that hydrogen refueling station operators shall not commit, including using illegal buildings (structures), changing the use function of premises without authorization from the planning permit, occupying, blocking, or sealing evacuation passages, improperly storing flammable and explosive materials, and using obsolete equipment and processes that endanger production safety.
In terms of emergency rescue, hydrogen refueling stations shall prepare emergency response plans and organize at least one comprehensive emergency plan drill or special emergency plan drill every six months, and at least one on-site disposal plan drill every six months. In the event of hydrogen leakage, fire, explosion, or other production safety accidents at a hydrogen refueling station, the emergency response plan shall be activated immediately, and the incident shall be truthfully reported without delay to the local department responsible for work safety supervision and administration in accordance with relevant state regulations. Concealment, false reporting, or delayed reporting is prohibited, as is deliberately damaging the accident scene or destroying relevant evidence.
The measures also specify that the hydrogen refueling station management department shall, for the time being, strengthen supervision and inspection of hydrogen refueling station operations in accordance with the relevant provisions for natural gas refueling stations, publicly disclose the list of hydrogen refueling station enterprises, publish complaint and reporting hotlines, mailboxes, and email addresses, and accept complaints and reports concerning hydrogen refueling station operation management. Business entities that violate these measures shall be penalized in accordance with the Work Safety Law, the Special Equipment Safety Supervision Regulations, and other relevant laws and regulations.
