Hawaiian Electric seeks PUC approval for Hawaii Island and Maui energy storage projects
Release Date: 9/8/2020
HONOLULU, Sept. 8, 2020 – Hawaiian Electric has filed applications with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) seeking approval for two proposed self-build Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects, one each on Hawaii Island at Keahole Power Plant and Maui at Waena. Public comments on the projects are being accepted at:
- keaholebess@hawaiianelectric.com (for Hawaii Island project), until September 26, 2020
- mauibess@hawaiianelectric.com (for Maui project), until October 8, 2020
The self-builds were among the projects selected in May as part of Hawaiian Electric’s latest phase “request-for-proposals” energy procurement. Under the competitive bidding framework developed by the PUC, utility self-builds are allowed to meet generation and/or capacity needs.
On Hawaii Island, the company is proposing a 12-megawatt (MW), 12-megawatt-hour (MWh) BESS at its Keahole Power Plant that will provide fast frequency response in the event of a sudden dip in energy production from renewable sources or a thermal power plant. This will help improve grid stability, reducing the likelihood of customer outages.
On Maui, Hawaiian Electric is proposing a 40-MW, 160-MWh BESS on approximately 1.8 acres at a company-owned site in Waena, near the Central Maui landfill. The battery will store energy during periods of low customer demand for use at peak demand periods, such as the early morning or evening hours, and enable the grid to accommodate more renewable sources while displacing thermal generation.
Virtual public meetings on both projects were held earlier this year and video replays of the discussions, along with the PUC applications and project details, can be found at www.hawaiianelectric.com/selfbuildprojects.
