The present invention is a fuel 
cell power 
plant that includes a fuel 
cell having a 
membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which is disposed between an 
anode support plate and a 
cathode support plate, and porous 
water transport plates adjacent the 
anode and 
cathode support plates. The porous 
water transport plates have interdigitated flow channels for the reactant gas streams to pass therethrough and conventional flow channels for a 
coolant stream to pass therethrough. The fuel 
cell power 
plant also has means for creating a pressure differential between the reactant gas streams and the 
coolant stream such that the pressure of the reactant gas streams is greater than the 
coolant stream. Incorporating the interdigitated flow channels into the porous 
water transport plates and operating the fuel cell at a pressure differential allows the coolant water to saturate the water transport plates thereby forcing the reactant gases into the 
anode and 
cathode support plate. This, in turn, increases the 
mass transfer of such gases into the support plates, thereby increasing the 
electrical performance of the fuel cell. Current densities of about 1.6 amps per 
square meter are achieved with air stochiometries of not over 2.50.