HI HR196

Hawaii State Energy Office requested to convene a working group to study potential impacts of large data centers on electric utilities, ratepayers, natural resources, and climate goals.

Working group membership includes the Chief Energy Officer (chair), directors from Business/Economic Development, Land and Natural Resources, Public Utilities Commission, electric utility representatives, and consumer/environmental advocates.

Study topics include mechanisms to ensure data center developers pay full infrastructure costs, ratepayer protections, transparency requirements for electricity/water/emissions, renewable energy compliance, and grid reliability on island systems.

Data centers consumed 4.4% of U.S. electricity in 2023 and may reach 6.7-12% by 2028; large facilities can use hundreds of millions to billions of gallons of water annually for cooling.

Working group must submit findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, no later than 20 days before the 2027 Regular Session, with the group dissolving June 30, 2027.