Hawaiian Electric just laid out one of its most ambitious clean energy shopping lists yet, filing a massive procurement plan that could flood Oʻahu, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island with new solar, wind and battery projects. Utility leaders say the move is designed to speed the shutdown of aging oil-fired plants, cut fuel costs and keep the lights steady as demand keeps climbing.
According to Hawaiian Electric, the new Integrated Grid Planning Request for Proposals, or IGP RFP, calls on developers to deliver nearly 1,650 gigawatt-hours of variable renewable energy, about 465 megawatts of grid-forming resources and 111 megawatts of firm generating capacity. The projects the company selects would come online between 2031 and 2034 as part of what it is calling an “expedited procurement plan” meant to push new resources onto the grid faster.
Regulators will be busy. The RFP proceeding is filed under docket number 2024-0258, and information is available on the Public Utilities Commission site, which will oversee bid reviews, independent observers and final approvals. The PUC has been steering integrated grid planning in recent years as the islands hunt for low-cost, reliable replacements for oil.
As reported by Maui Now, Hawaiian Electric has also asked regulators to sign off on the option to expand firm procurement on Oʻahu by as much as 500 megawatts of fuel-flexible generation. The utility told the commission it expects to roll out a separate “all fuels” RFP by the end of 2026 so bidders can square off on costs, fuel sourcing and environmental trade-offs.
Why Oʻahu Matters
Oʻahu is the big prize in this plan. According to Hawaiian Electric, the island accounts for more than 70 percent of the electricity generated in Hawaiʻi and is home to nearly one million residents. That level of demand makes Oʻahu the place where firm, flexible capacity is most critical, even as the state leans harder into intermittent resources like wind and solar.
The LNG Question
While the IGP RFP puts renewables and batteries front and center, Hawaiian Electric is not closing the door on fossil options. Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is still on the table for firm capacity. As Hawaiʻi Public Radio reported, Governor Josh Green has floated a potential partnership with Japan’s JERA, which has pitched an LNG import terminal and roughly a 500 megawatt plant for Oʻahu. Power and other outlets have walked through that proposal in more detail.
Independent analysts are not exactly rubber-stamping the idea. Modeling from UHERO points to terminal expenses and full lifecycle costs that could shrink or wipe out the fuel savings LNG backers are promising.
What It Means For Customers
Hawaiian Electric argues that moving faster with competitive procurements will reduce exposure to volatile oil prices and give regulators more options to smooth customer bills over the long haul. Still, community advocates and some experts warn that very large energy bets, whether LNG terminals or multibillion-dollar power projects, can come back to haunt ratepayers and complicate the state’s 2045 clean energy targets.
Timeline And Next Steps
The utility says it wants to keep the process moving. The plan is to launch that all-fuels RFP by the end of 2026 and evaluate bids under PUC oversight, with help from independent observers and technical consultants. Stakeholders can track filings and schedules through the IGP RFP docket, where the commission and Hawaiian Electric will lay out timelines for workshops, bid submissions and hearings.
Maui Projects Show What’s Possible
Supporters of the plan point to what is already happening on Maui as proof that the model can work. The Kūihelani Solar-plus-Storage project from AES - a 60 megawatt solar plant paired with a 240 megawatt-hour battery spread across roughly 450 acres - is already operating and has cut the island’s fuel use. Projects like this sit at the center of the argument that Hawaiʻi can scale renewables while still keeping enough firm, dispatchable power in reserve.
The next year will show whether aggressive procurements, close PUC oversight and a crowded field of bidders can actually deliver both affordable power and the firm capacity the grids on Oʻahu, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island need. Regulators, developers and community groups will be watching the docket and the early RFP rounds closely for clues on cost, timing and neighborhood impacts.
