Power Supply Chain and Demand in Hawaii
Vertically integrated utilities run most of Hawaii's grid. 471 MW of new generation is planned in Hawaii, 112 MW of it under construction or built and awaiting operation, against 34 MW of planned retirements through 2030. 12 data centers are identified in the state. Residential electricity averaged 46.28¢/kWh in 2026 through July, +12.7% from a year earlier. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026. The SAVRN trackers hold 2 local moratoria or restrictions for Hawaii across all statuses (0 in force) and 0 named projects on the Delay Watchlist.
What the build-out changed in Hawaii
Hawaii feels the boom mostly through its electricity bill: prices are rising faster than in most states while the building happens elsewhere. Data processing and hosting jobs grew 55.8% from 2019 to 2025, 12th of 46 states that disclose the industry. Planned generation equals 13% of the power plants Hawaii runs today, 29th of 51 (the median state plans 15%). The data center industry now accounts for 1.2% of Hawaii's economy, the 40th largest share of any state (the median state is 1.8%), counting the industry's in-state suppliers and payrolls. Households pay part of the cost: residential prices are +12.7% year to date, the 8th fastest increase of 51.
Then and now
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,833 | 5,170 | ▲ 7.0% | 41st of 48 |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 339 | 528 | ▲ 55.8% | 12th of 46 |
| Unemployment rate (Feb 2020 → Aug 2026) | 2.2% | 2.7% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Residential price, ¢/kWh (YTD Jul 2025 → 2026) | 41.08¢ | 46.28¢ | ▲ 12.7% | 8th of 51 |
| Generation fleet → planned additions | 3.7 GW operating | 0.5 GW planned | 13% of fleet | 29th of 51 |
Where Hawaii ranks among 51
1st = the most. Ranks cover every state and DC that publishes the figure.
County spotlight
Honolulu County holds the most data centers on record in Hawaii (10), and its electrical contractor workforce changed +7.4% since 2019 to 4,027 jobs. The largest share of planned generation sits in Hawaii County: 216 MW, led by AES Clean Energy (battery storage).
Where Hawaii sits in the power system
- Grid operator
- Non-RTO (utility-run)
- Operating capacity
- 3.7 GW
- Planned generation
- 471 MW
- Under construction or built
- 112 MW
- Data centers identified
- 12
- Data center load in queues
- —
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 2.7%
- Residential price change
- +12.7%
Neighboring states are shaded. Select one to open its page.
Hawaii, county by county
5 counties in Hawaii. Planned generation sits in 4 of them, data centers stand in 2, and local measures are on record in 1. Pick a layer, then select a county for its full record.
County leaders
Counties on record 4
| County | Data centers | Planned MW | Building MW | Lead developer | Electrical contractor jobs | Change 2019–25 | Local measures | Watchlist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu County | 10 | 192 MW | 76 MW | Puuloa Energy LLC | 4,027 | ▲ 7.4% | — | — | |
| Maui County | 1 | 40 MW | — | AES Clean Energy | — | — | — | — | |
| Hawaii County | — | 216 MW | 36 MW | AES Clean Energy | 483 | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | |
| Kauai County | — | 24 MW | — | Kauai Island Utility Cooperative | — | — | — | — |
Every county in Hawaii 5
Each county has its own page: power plants, utilities and prices, jobs since 2019, data centers, local rules and its neighbors.
Cities and towns on record 6
| City or town | County | Data centers | Local measures | Watchlist | Latest record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kapolei | Honolulu County | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Urban Honolulu | Honolulu County + Honolulu County | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Honolulu | — | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Kihei | Maui County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Mililani Mauka | Honolulu County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Big Island Wants | — | — | 1 (0 in force) | — | Big Island Wants To Ban Big Data Centers, Once They Agree On What They Are Proposed |
Data center counts come from every facility on the SAVRN Data Center Map, counted in the county and the city or community where each building physically stands (Census boundaries), not its mailing address. Jurisdictions appear as the Moratorium Tracker records them.
Hawaii, from generation to the household bill
1Grid operator
Utility-run territory: resource planning sits with the vertically integrated utilities and the state commission.
2Generation pipeline
- Operating capacity
- 3.7 GW
- Planned, all types
- 471 MW
- Under construction or built
- 112 MW
- Planned gas
- 0 MW
- Planned retirements 2026–30
- 34 MW
- Net firm additions derived
- 78 MW
3Data center demand
- Data centers identified
- 12
- Operators
- 9
- Load in tracked queues
- —
- Utility large-load projects
- 0
- Commercial sales, YTD change
- -2.4%
- Industry share of state GDP
- 1.2%
4Jobs and pay
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 2.7% (+0.6 pts y/y)
- Construction jobs vs 2019
- —
- Manufacturing jobs vs 2019
- -9.3%
- Electrical contractor jobs 2019–25
- +7.0%
- Electrician median pay
- $96,460
- Electrician ÷ cashier pay
- 2.62×
5Household bill
- Residential price, YTD Jul 2026
- 46.28¢/kWh
- Change vs YTD 2025
- +12.7%
- All-sector price change
- +15.7%
- Total retail sales change
- -0.0%
6Policy friction
- State measures on record
- 0
- Local measures (in force)
- 2 (0)
- Watchlist projects
- 0
- Lawsuits tracked
- 0
- Announced capital, disclosed
- —
- Dedicated tax incentive
- None listed
Planned power plants in Hawaii
Every planned generator in Hawaii in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, by technology, then the 15 largest units. Under construction or built covers status codes U, V and TS.
| Technology | Units | Planned MW | Under construction or built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 6 | 171 MW | 39 MW |
| Battery storage | 7 | 160 MW | 37 MW |
| Other | 12 | 139 MW | 36 MW |
Largest planned generators
| Plant | County | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keamuku | Hawaii | Solar Photovoltaic | 86 MW | Approvals pending | 2030 | AES Clean Energy |
| Keamuku | Hawaii | Batteries | 86 MW | Approvals pending | 2030 | AES Clean Energy |
| Kuihelani Phase 2 | Maui | Solar Photovoltaic | 40 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | AES Clean Energy |
| Hu Honua Bioenergy Facility | Hawaii | Other Waste Biomass | 36 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Hu Honua Bioenergy, LLC |
| AES Waiawa Phase 2 Solar | Honolulu | Batteries | 30 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | AES Distributed Energy |
| AES Waiawa Phase 2 Solar | Honolulu | Solar Photovoltaic | 30 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | AES Distributed Energy |
| KRS I Anahola Solar Hybrid | Kauai | Batteries | 12 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Kauai Island Utility Cooperative |
| KRS II Koloa Solar | Kauai | Batteries | 12 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Kauai Island Utility Cooperative |
| Puuloa Energy | Honolulu | Other Waste Biomass | 9 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Puuloa Energy LLC |
| Puuloa Energy | Honolulu | Other Waste Biomass | 9 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Puuloa Energy LLC |
| Puuloa Energy | Honolulu | Other Waste Biomass | 9 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Puuloa Energy LLC |
| Puuloa Energy | Honolulu | Other Waste Biomass | 9 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Puuloa Energy LLC |
| Puuloa Energy | Honolulu | Other Waste Biomass | 9 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Puuloa Energy LLC |
| Puuloa Energy | Honolulu | Other Waste Biomass | 9 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Puuloa Energy LLC |
| Puuloa Energy | Honolulu | Other Waste Biomass | 9 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Puuloa Energy LLC |
What the Hawaii build-out runs on
Who is building generation in Hawaii, which manufacturers and contractors have a plant, expansion or contract recorded here, and how long the critical equipment takes to arrive.
Developers and owners with planned generation
| Developer or owner | Units | Planned MW | Building MW | Main technology | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES Clean Energy | 3 | 212 MW | — | Solar | 2 |
| Puuloa Energy LLC | 11 | 103 MW | — | Other | 1 |
| AES Distributed Energy | 4 | 74 MW | 74 MW | Battery storage | 1 |
| Hu Honua Bioenergy, LLC | 1 | 36 MW | 36 MW | Other | 1 |
| Kauai Island Utility Cooperative | 2 | 24 MW | — | Battery storage | 1 |
| Puuloa Solar LLC | 2 | 12 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Hamakua Energy LP | 1 | 8 MW | — | Battery storage | 1 |
| Pivot Energy | 1 | 2 MW | 2 MW | Solar | 1 |
Manufacturers and contractors with a recorded Hawaii footprint
No plant, expansion or contract in the manufacturer record names Hawaii. The national suppliers below serve every state.
Order-by check derived
Every one of the 2 planned units of 50 MW or more in Hawaii that is not yet under construction still has time to order its step-up transformer before the lead time runs out.
Lead times, OEM backlogs and the national generation and grid contractors are on the national supply chain section.
Data center and large-load demand in Hawaii
12 data centers run by 9 operators are identified in Hawaii. The full list by city is on the Hawaii Data Center Map page. Utilities report 0 large customer projects here to EEI.
No large customer projects reported to EEI for this state.
The Hawaii jobs report, and who the build-out employs
Payroll employment, August 2026 (preliminary)
| Industry | Jobs | Change vs Aug 2025 | Change vs Aug 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 643.0k | ▲ 0.2% | ▼ 2.1% (-13.7k) |
| Manufacturing | 12.7k | ▼ 2.3% | ▼ 9.3% (-1.3k) |
| Retail trade | 62.8k | ▼ 1.9% | ▼ 11.9% (-8.5k) |
Power and data industries, 2019 to 2025
| Industry | Jobs 2019 | Jobs 2025 | Change | Average pay 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data processing and hosting | 339 | 528 | ▲ 55.8% | $189,058 |
| Electrical contractors | 4,833 | 5,170 | ▲ 7.0% | $94,141 |
| Power and communication line construction | — | not disclosed | — | — |
| Electric power generation, transmission, distribution | — | 2,946 | — | $141,124 |
Pay ladder, May 2025
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual pay | Multiple of cashier pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 10,780 | $36,780 | 1.00× |
| Fast food and counter workers | 24,130 | $35,250 | 0.96× |
| Retail salespersons | 19,180 | $37,790 | 1.03× |
| All occupations | 627,530 | $56,320 | 1.53× |
| Construction laborers | 4,580 | $77,110 | 2.10× |
| Welders | 520 | $79,000 | 2.15× |
| HVAC mechanics | 1,300 | $65,450 | 1.78× |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | 2,500 | $78,060 | 2.12× |
| Electricians | 3,070 | $96,460 | 2.62× |
| Power plant operators | 290 | $121,700 | 3.31× |
| Power-line installers | 600 | $134,340 | 3.65× |
| Construction supervisors | 2,890 | $102,630 | 2.79× |
| Electrical engineers | 1,080 | $106,350 | 2.89× |
County-level contractor jobs and pay are in the county record above.
What the data center industry adds to Hawaii
PwC figures are modeled estimates commissioned by the industry.
The rules and the pipeline in Hawaii
State measures 0
No state-level measures on record.
Delay Watchlist projects 0
No projects on the Delay Watchlist.
Local moratoria and restrictions (2) appear by county and city in the county-by-county section. Counts include every status in the weekly tracker feeds as of October 5, 2026. The Hawaii Data Center Map page counts only active local pauses and delayed or blocked projects as of its September 2 rebuild, so its figures are lower. The difference is one of definition and date.
Hawaii's neighbors
No land neighbors.
All statesThe national mapOpen →Hawaii power, answered from the record
How much new power generation is planned in Hawaii?
EIA's August 2026 inventory lists 471 MW of planned generators in Hawaii, 112 MW of it under construction or built. By capacity the pipeline is solar 36%, battery storage 34%, other 30%. The largest single unit is Keamuku (86 MW, AES Clean Energy). Owners plan to retire 34 MW from 2026 to 2030.
Who runs the power grid in Hawaii?
Non-RTO (utility-run) serves most of Hawaii, which means vertically integrated utilities plan and dispatch generation under the state commission. No data center load is tracked in its queues yet.
Are electricity prices rising in Hawaii?
Residential electricity averaged 46.28¢/kWh from January to July 2026, +12.7% on a year earlier, the 8th fastest increase of 51. Commercial sales, the class that includes data centers, changed -2.4%.
What do electricians earn in Hawaii?
The median electrician in Hawaii earned $96,460 in May 2025, 2.62 times the median cashier, and power-line installers earned $134,340 (BLS OEWS).
Which counties in Hawaii have the most planned generation?
By planned nameplate capacity: Hawaii County (216 MW), Honolulu County (192 MW), Maui County (40 MW).
Who is building power plants in Hawaii?
The largest owners of planned generation are AES Clean Energy (212 MW, mostly solar), Puuloa Energy LLC (103 MW, mostly other), AES Distributed Energy (74 MW, mostly battery storage) (EIA-860M).
Is planned generation in Hawaii on schedule?
0 of 2 planned units of 50 MW or more not yet under construction are past the latest date to order a step-up transformer (more than 160 weeks) for their planned in-service date. They hold schedule only if equipment is already on order.
Does Hawaii have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 0 state-level measures (0 enacted) and 2 local moratoria or restrictions in Hawaii, 0 of them in force, 47th most in the country.
Hawaii across the SAVRN trackers
Sources for this page
- BEA state GDP via FRED
- BLS LAUS
- BLS OEWS
- BLS QCEW
- BLS State Employment (CES)
- EEI large customer projects
- EIA Electric Power Monthly
- EIA-860M (Aug 2026)
- NCSL
- PwC for the Data Center Coalition
- SAVRN Capital Atlas
- SAVRN Data Center Map
- SAVRN Delay Watchlist
- SAVRN Grid Operator Watchlist
- SAVRN Moratorium Tracker
- U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas)
Every figure links to its original source through the Sources buttons. Values marked derived are calculated from reported figures.