Kauai County, Hawaii: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Anahola and Eleele
No data center or power plant project is on record in Kauai County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Kauai County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Anahola, Eleele, Haena, are unincorporated and governed by the county. 24 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (battery storage), the 4th largest pipeline among Hawaii's counties. 16 MW has retired here since 2019, including Port Allen (HI) (petroleum, 10 MW, 2019). 34 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Its power plants have 280 MW of capacity, 33% of it petroleum, the 4th largest fleet in Hawaii.
Cities and towns in Kauai County
Kauai County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Anahola, Eleele, Haena, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Anahola, Eleele, Haena, Hanalei, Hanamaulu, Hanapepe, Kalaheo, Kalihiwai, Kapaa, Kaumakani, Kekaha, Kilauea, Koloa, Lawai, Lihue, Omao, Pakala Village, Poipu, Princeville, Puhi, Wailua, Wailua Homesteads, Waimea, Wainiha.
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 Kauai County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Hawaii |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 73,210 | 73,400 | ▲ 0.3% | 4th of 5 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 34,068 | 33,298 | ▼ 2.3% | 2nd of 4 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,525 | $62,998 | ▲ 35.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 2.5% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 34 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 16 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 24 MW | 9% of today's fleet | 4th of 4 by size |
Employers here counted 33,298 jobs in 2025, down 2.3% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 4 Hawaii counties). Kauai Island Utility Cooperative is the largest utility serving Kauai County. Its residential customers paid an average 41.29¢/kWh in 2024, below the 43.41¢ median for Hawaii utilities. Unemployment was 2.5% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. 73,400 people live here, up 0.3% since 2020, 4th of 5 Hawaii counties by population.
Who powers Kauai County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +18 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Kauai County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kauai Island Utility Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,109 | 41.29¢ | 25% |
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 13
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 92 MW | 33% |
| Solar | 80 MW | 29% |
| Other technologies | 48 MW | 17% |
| Battery storage | 47 MW | 17% |
| Hydro | 13 MW | 5% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Allen (HI) | Kauai Island Utility Cooperative | Petroleum | 90 MW | 1964 |
| AES Lawai Solar Hybrid | AES Distributed Energy | Solar | 40 MW | 2018 |
| Kapaia Power Station | Kauai Island Utility Cooperative | Other technologies | 39 MW | 2002 |
| AES Kekaha Solar, LLC Hybrid | AES Distributed Energy | Battery storage | 28 MW | 2019 |
| KIUC Kapaia PV and BA Storage Project Hy | Tesla Inc. | Battery storage | 28 MW | 2017 |
| KRS I Anahola Solar Hybrid | Kauai Island Utility Cooperative | Solar | 12 MW | 2015 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KRS I Anahola Solar Hybrid | Batteries | 12 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Kauai Island Utility Cooperative |
| KRS II Koloa Solar | Batteries | 12 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Kauai Island Utility Cooperative |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Allen (HI) | Petroleum | 10 MW | 2019 |
| KRS I Anahola Solar Hybrid | Battery storage | 6 MW | 2022 |
The Kauai County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 33,298 | $62,998 | 1.00 |
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 Kauai County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Kauai County. Hawaii has 2 local measures on record statewide.
More of Hawaii
Kauai County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kauai County, Hawaii?
1 utility has service territory in Kauai County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. The largest, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, charged residential customers 41.29¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Kauai County?
13 operating plants with 280 MW of capacity. The largest is Port Allen (HI) (90 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Kauai County?
24 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Kauai Island Utility Cooperative.
Are there data centers in Kauai County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kauai County.
Is Kauai County adding jobs?
Employers counted 33,298 jobs in 2025 against 34,068 in 2019 (-2.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Kauai County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Kauai County. Hawaii has 2 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.