Maui County, Hawaii: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Kihei
Maui County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Maui County, 8% of Hawaii's total. Maui County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Kihei, are unincorporated and governed by the county. 40 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by AES Clean Energy (solar), the 3rd largest pipeline among Hawaii's counties. Construction employs 4,821, up 10.4% since 2019. Employers here counted 74,407 jobs in 2025, down 8.0% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 4 Hawaii counties).
Cities and towns in Maui County
Maui County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Kihei, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Kihei, Haiku-Pauwela, Haliimaile, Hana, Kaanapali, Kahului, Kapalua, Kaunakakai, Keokea, Kualapuu, Kula, Lahaina, Lanai City, Launiupoko, Maalaea, Mahinahina, Makawao, Makena, Manele, Maunaloa, Napili-Honokowai, Olinda, Olowalu, Paia, Pukalani, Ualapue, Waihee-Waiehu, Waikapu, Wailea, Wailuku.
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 Maui County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Hawaii |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 164,762 | 160,592 | ▼ 2.5% | 3rd of 5 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 80,837 | 74,407 | ▼ 8.0% | 4th of 4 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,075 | $64,114 | ▲ 36.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,367 | 4,821 | ▲ 10.4% | 1st of 2 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 2.9% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 122 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 40 MW | 8% of today's fleet | 3rd of 4 by size |
122 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Owners plan to retire 34 MW more by 2035, led by Kahului in 2028. Its power plants have 525 MW of capacity, 56% of it petroleum, the 2nd largest fleet in Hawaii. Maui Electric Co Ltd is the largest utility serving Maui County. Its residential customers paid an average 43.96¢/kWh in 2024, above the 43.41¢ median for Hawaii utilities. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. 160,592 people live here, down 2.5% since 2020, 3rd of 5 Hawaii counties by population.
Who powers Maui County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +122 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Maui County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maui Electric Co Ltd | Investor Owned | Bundled | 61,811 | 43.96¢ | 30% |
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 16
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 292 MW | 56% |
| Battery storage | 83 MW | 16% |
| Wind | 75 MW | 14% |
| Solar | 68 MW | 13% |
| Hydro | 6 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maalaea | Maui Electric Co Ltd | Petroleum | 230 MW | 1971 |
| AES Maui Kuihelani Solar Hybrid | AES Distributed Energy | Battery storage | 120 MW | 2024 |
| Auwahi Wind Energy Hybrid | Auwahi Wind Energy LLC | Battery storage | 35 MW | 2012 |
| Kahului | Maui Electric Co Ltd | Petroleum | 34 MW | 1948 |
| Kaheawa Wind Power II LLC | Evergreen Wind, LLC | Wind | 31 MW | 2012 |
| Kaheawa Pastures Wind Farm Hybrid | Evergreen Wind, LLC | Wind | 30 MW | 2006 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuihelani Phase 2 | Solar Photovoltaic | 40 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | AES Clean Energy |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului | Petroleum | 34 MW | 2028 |
The Maui County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 74,407 | $64,114 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,821 | $92,019 | 1.22 |
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 Maui County
1 data center in Maui County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Maui County and its neighbors
None of the 1 counties bordering Maui County has a data center, a power plant or planned generation on record.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maui County | 160,592 | ▼ 8.0% | 525 MW | 40 MW | 1 | — |
| Kalawao County | 82 | — | — | — | — | — |
More of Hawaii
Maui County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Maui County, Hawaii?
1 utility has service territory in Maui County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Maui Electric Co Ltd. The largest, Maui Electric Co Ltd, charged residential customers 43.96¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Maui County?
16 operating plants with 525 MW of capacity. The largest is Maalaea (230 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Maui County?
40 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is AES Clean Energy.
Are there data centers in Maui County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Maui County.
Is Maui County adding jobs?
Employers counted 74,407 jobs in 2025 against 80,837 in 2019 (-8.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,367 to 4,821.
Does Maui County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Maui County. Hawaii has 2 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.