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Large Central Oahu solar farm gets key approval

The Hawaii Division of Consumer Advocacy, which aims to protect and advance the interests of the state’s consumers of regulated utilities, has given the green light to First Wind’s planned 20-megawatt solar energy farm on Castle & Cooke-owned land near Mililani in Central Oahu.

The Consumer Advocate said in a public filing that, during its preliminary review of the project, it approves the 20-year power purchase agreement between Hawaiian Electric Co. and the Boston-based renewable-energy developer.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has the ultimate say on the matter and has yet to come out with its ruling on the project’s power purchase agreement, although the Consumer Advocate’s position does have weight in the final decision.

The 135-acre project just south of Mililani is the same site that was designed for four separate 5-megawatt projects by four different developers.
Consolidating to a single 20-megawatt project enabled the project to be developed more efficiently and at a lower price, Castle & Cooke has said.
The project, which will provide a cost savings of up to $67 million for ratepayers, will sell power to Hawaiian Electric at 15.6 cents per kilowatt hour.

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May 2, 2014
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/n...-approval.html