Wartsila to Help Ensure Reliable Power Supply in Challenging Hawaii Conditions Through Smart Technologies

Wärtsilä, for the duration of the 10-year agreement, will provide advisory and maintenance services that help ensure reliable power generation for the plant, which is primarily used to meet peak loads. The fast-response power plant increases flexible power generation and supports Hawaii in reaching its target of 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.

The Maintenance and Operational advisory agreement between Wärtsilä and Hawaiian Electric Co. was executed in May 2018. It responds to a variety of Hawaiian Electric Company’s needs, ranging from maintenance support, technical support, and reduced outage time while helping to control cost.

The agreement covers operational support, maintenance planning, major maintenance, quarterly site audits, ICS (Industrial Control Systems) cyber security patching services, and scheduled OEM spare parts.

The plant is operated on biodiesel with ultra-low sulfur diesel as a secondary fuel and has the ability to use biogas or natural gas in the future. The plant will also provide “black start” capability, which improves resilience in the event of natural disasters such as hurricanes or tsunamis.  

“Ensuring reliable and efficient operations of the plant is important for the island’s energy resilience and achievement of renewable energy goals. Our partnership with Wärtsilä will help the power plant meet its goals in a cost-effective manner,” said Michael DeCaprio, Power Generation Manager at Hawaiian Electric.

On Oahu, the installed capacity of solar PV systems is the highest per capita in the United States. Therefore, it is crucial to have fast- starting generation capability that can respond to changes in wind and solar power generation. Hawaii’s renewable portfolio standards require the utilities generation to be 30 percent renewable by 2020, 40 percent by 2030, 70 percent by 2040, and 100 percent by 2045. The Wärtsilä facility will help the utility achieve those benchmarks.  

“We are thrilled to work with Hawaiian Electric Company to maximise their revenue retention through smart technologies and digital services. At the same time, we want to help them to comply with cyber legislation and to ensure power generation, even under exceptional natural conditions,” says Walter Reggente, Vice President, Americas, Wärtsilä Services.