Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative

UtilitiesHawaii, United States51-200 Employees

Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative was formed when a group of local businesspeople purchased Connecticut-based Citizens Communications’ Kaua'i Electric in November of 2002.

KIUC is one of America’s newest electric cooperative; one of approximately 900 electric cooperatives serving electric consumers in 48 states. KIUC operates as a not-for-profit organization that is owned by its members and governed by an elected board of directors.

KIUC’s location presents some unique challenges that make it different from its sister cooperatives on the mainland. While most co-ops purchase electricity from large coal-fired power plants and huge hydroelectric power stations that can be hundreds of miles away, KIUC must generate all of its power on the island of Kauai. As of 2010, 92 percent of KIUC's power came from generating plants that are powered by imported fossil fuels – which is less efficient and more expensive than mainland power sources available to most co-ops.

In an effort to reduce its power cost, decrease its use of imported fossil fuels and increase the amount of energy generated from Kaua'i’s own resources, KIUC has launched a strategic initiative to generate 70 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. In 2019, nearly 55% of KIUC's electricity is generated through renewable sources: biomass, hydropower and solar. 

KIUC's Board of Directors has set an aggressive goal of reaching 70 percent renewable generation by 2030. KIUC is confident that it will meet, and perhaps exceed this goal, well before 2030.

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