Power Cost and Generation Fleet
Higher prices are a fact of life in Hawaii. Kauai’s location and population size present unique challenges that make generating electricity especially difficult and expensive. A common comparison is to Hawaiian Electric, but there are significant differences.
HECO serves a much larger population (986,000 vs. 73,000) in a much more densely populated area. This offers efficiencies and economies of scale Kauai cannot match. HECO burns less expensive fuel oil than KIUC, and buys power from a coal-fired plant—the least expensive fuel available.
KIUC’s electric generation fleet is capable of producing up to 235.9 megawatts of electricity with all conventional and renewable generation sources combined. The average on KIUC’s system is about 75 megawatts. The cooperative is committed to making energy more affordable by reducing its dependence on fossil fuels and increasing its use of renewable energy sources. KIUC’s strategic plan calls for generating 70 percent of its power from renewables by 2030.