HECO plans to bring online about 1,650 gigawatt-hours of new solar and wind power, the equivalent of about 15% of all the energy on its grids.
The utility says that new renewable energy generation will help the state reduce its dependence on oil. Oʻahu burns petroleum to generate about 70% of its electricity.
Separately, HECO has asked the Public Utilities Commission to sign off on the procurement of new fuel-based sources of power. That could offer a new pathway for natural gas projects.
In a recent press release, the utility said it “remains open to a range of solutions to meet Hawaiʻi’s energy needs, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) for power generation.”
HECO added that expanded procurement could allow the utility to consider projects that do not currently fit within the commission’s approved Integrated Grid Planning framework — including a proposal from the Japanese energy company JERA to build a 500 megawatt gas-fired plant on Oʻahu.
The IGP framework requires energy developers to submit competitive bids for new projects to HECO. Once HECO has accepted a bid, it seeks approval from the Public Utilities Commission on behalf of the project.
JERA recently announced plans to form its own utility, GenCo, which would allow the company to take its gas proposal directly to the commission rather than go through HECO.
In a letter to the commission, HECO argued against JERA’s approach.
“JERA’s process bypasses any competition. Especially given the fact that this will be the largest and most expensive resource on the system, it is wise to test whether JERA’s project is the best project that the market can deliver,” the letter stated.
The letter requests that the commission open a new proceeding to approve the procurement of fuel-flexible power as soon as possible.
