Hawaii County, Hawaii: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ainaloa and Black Sands
Hawaii County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Hawaii County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Ainaloa, Black Sands, Captain Cook, are unincorporated and governed by the county. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Bill 170: proposed prohibition on AI data centers”. 216 MW of new generation is planned here across 4 units, led by AES Clean Energy (battery storage), the largest pipeline among Hawaii's counties. 36 MW of it is already under construction or built. 135 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 492 MW of capacity, 53% of it petroleum, the 3rd largest fleet in Hawaii.
Cities and towns in Hawaii County
Hawaii County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Ainaloa, Black Sands, Captain Cook, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ainaloa, Black Sands, Captain Cook, Discovery Harbour, Eden Roc, Fern Acres, Fern Forest, Halaula, Hawaiian Acres, Hawaiian Beaches, Hawaiian Ocean View, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hawi, Hilo, Holualoa, Honalo, Honaunau-Napoopoo, Honokaa, Honomu, Kahaluu-Keauhou, Kailua, Kaiminani, Kalapana, Kaloko, Kamaili, Kapaau, Keaau, Kealakekua, Kukuihaele, Kurtistown, Laupahoehoe, Leilani Estates, Mauna Loa Estates, Mountain View, Naalehu, Nanawale Estates, Orchidlands Estates, Paauilo, Pahala, Pahoa and 14 more.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Hawaii County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Hawaii |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 200,744 | 210,043 | ▲ 4.6% | 2nd of 5 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 72,619 | 74,168 | ▲ 2.1% | 1st of 4 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,891 | $61,757 | ▲ 37.6% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 431 | 438 | ▲ 1.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.4% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 135 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 216 MW | 44% of today's fleet | 1st of 4 by size |
Electrical contractors employ 483, at an average $89,541 a year. Employers here counted 74,168 jobs in 2025, up 2.1% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 4 Hawaii counties). Hawaii Electric Light Co Inc is the largest utility serving Hawaii County. Its residential customers paid an average 48.31¢/kWh in 2024, above the 43.41¢ median for Hawaii utilities. 210,043 people live here, up 4.6% since 2020, 2nd of 5 Hawaii counties by population. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Who powers Hawaii County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +135 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hawaii County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii Electric Light Co Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 78,386 | 48.31¢ | 35% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 15
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 260 MW | 53% |
| Solar | 75 MW | 15% |
| Battery storage | 60 MW | 12% |
| Other technologies | 51 MW | 10% |
| Wind | 32 MW | 6% |
| Hydro | 14 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keahole | Hawaii Electric Light Co Inc | Petroleum | 89 MW | 1984 |
| Hale Kuawehi Solar Hybrid | Hale Kuawehi Solar LLC | Battery storage | 74 MW | 2025 |
| Hamakua Energy Plant | Hamakua Energy LP | Petroleum | 66 MW | 2000 |
| AES Waikoloa Solar Hybrid | AES Distributed Energy | Battery storage | 60 MW | 2023 |
| Puna Geothermal Venture I | Puna Geothermal Venture | Other technologies | 51 MW | 1992 |
| Puna | Hawaii Electric Light Co Inc | Petroleum | 39 MW | 1988 |
Planned generation 4
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keamuku | Batteries | 86 MW | Approvals pending | 2030 | AES Clean Energy |
| Keamuku | Solar Photovoltaic | 86 MW | Approvals pending | 2030 | AES Clean Energy |
| Hu Honua Bioenergy Facility | Other Waste Biomass | 36 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Hu Honua Bioenergy, LLC |
| Hamakua Energy Plant | Batteries | 8 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2030 | Hamakua Energy LP |
The Hawaii County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 74,168 | $61,757 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 483 | $89,541 | 0.90 |
| Electric utilities | 438 | $150,570 | 2.18 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Hawaii County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill 170: proposed prohibition on AI data centers | Proposed | 2026-10 |
More of Hawaii
Hawaii County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hawaii County, Hawaii?
1 utility has service territory in Hawaii County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Hawaii Electric Light Co Inc. The largest, Hawaii Electric Light Co Inc, charged residential customers 48.31¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hawaii County?
15 operating plants with 492 MW of capacity. The largest is Keahole (89 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Hawaii County?
216 MW across 4 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 36 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is AES Clean Energy.
Are there data centers in Hawaii County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hawaii County.
Is Hawaii County adding jobs?
Employers counted 74,168 jobs in 2025 against 72,619 in 2019 (+2.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hawaii County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Hawaii County, 0 in force.