Spanning across 50-acres of undeveloped land at the Kahe Generating Station, the project is subject to regulatory approval from the Hawaiian Public Utilities Commission and the completion of necessary environmental and cultural reviews.
To be owned and operated by HECO, the project, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2015, will be connected to the grid via HECO’s 46,000V sub-transmission system, without affecting customers willing to install PV systems on their rooftops, which connect through HECO’s 12,000V distribution system.
Once operational, the project, which will be SolarCity’s second utility-scale project in the state, will reduce the overall electricity cost on O’ahu by $64m and displace around 1.8 million gallons of oil per year over its lifespan.
SolarCity regional director in Hawaii Jon Yoshimura said that the project can protect the state’s environment and strengthen the local economy, while providing cost-effective clean energy.
"The SolarCity team in Mililani is honored to be selected for this project, and we’re excited to work with Hawaiian Electric to deliver more clean, homegrown energy to O’ahu residents," added Yoshimura.
