Public invited to attend in-person and virtually, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Hawaiian Electric will share details of its plan to repower the Waiau Power Plant in Pearl City at a community meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 16, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Waiau Elementary School (98-450 Hookanike Street). The meeting also will be streamed live on facebook.com/HawaiianElectric.
The proposed project to replace six aging, fossil-fueled boilers with six smaller, efficient and fuel-flexible combustion turbines is among 15 generation projects recently selected in the latest competitive energy procurement by Hawaiian Electric. The CTs fast frequency response means the new units can quickly adjust to fluctuations on the electric grid and ramp up in minutes during periods when intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind are unavailable or unable to meet system needs.
Under the company’s proposal, the project will leverage the power plant’s existing infrastructure to minimize costs and reduce impacts on the public. The new CT units will be installed in pairs as the old generators are decommissioned to ensure four units are always providing reliable power to the O’ahu electric grid. The first pair of units, Waiau 3 & 4, are expected to retire later this year and construction of its replacements, Waiau 11 & 12, to start in 2027.
The company is seeking public feedback on its 253-megawatt project including a community benefits package that will provide $3,000 per megawatt, per year for community programs when the project is in service. The first two units are expected in service around the end of 2029, and additional phases are expected to be completed in 2031 and 2033. An advisory group comprised of established Pearl City community leaders will oversee the development of the benefits package and future disbursements.
Public comments can be submitted to [email protected] now until Feb. 15, 2024, for inclusion in the company’s application for approval to the Public Utilities Commission. For more information, visit the project website at hawaiianelectric.com/waiaurepower.
