Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i, HI – 10/30/2018 – KIUC has taken an important step forward on an innovative renewable energy facility by executing a contract for design, engineering and construction services with an EPC contractor McMillen Jacobs Associates, following a comprehensive Request for Proposal (RFP) process that began in November 2017.
The West Kauaʿi Energy Project will utilize solar photovoltaic (PV) energy and pumped storage hydro technology to provide dispatchable renewable energy, and is expected to provide up to 15 percent of Kauaʿi’s energy needs. “This is a substantial investment for our cooperative, and we have great confidence that McMillen Jacobs can deliver the range of services needed for engineering, design and construction,” said KIUC’s President and Chief Executive Officer, David Bissell.
KIUC has been in active development for the project since 2014. The first phase of the contract will involve finalizing project design. “If all goes well, we expect to have 60 percent engineering complete by mid-2019,” said Bissell. He added that environmental studies are currently in progress and a draft environmental disclosure document is anticipated to be ready for public release in early 2019.
“Barring any significant delays, this project will allow us to meet the KIUC Board of Directors’ strategic goal of reaching 70 percent renewable well ahead of the target date of 2030,” said Bissell. “That’s good for the environment and for our members.”
McMillen Jacobs has been completing design-build and construction projects on Kauaʿi since 2012. Mort McMillen, Project Manager for the Project, stated “This is an exciting opportunity for our company and we look forward to working with the KIUC Team on this project.” Questions regarding the KIUC contract may be directed to McMillen Jacobs Associates: WKauaiEnergyProject@mcmjac.com.
About KIUC
KIUC is a member-owned cooperative serving 33,000 customer accounts on the island of Kauaʻi. Formed in 2002 and governed by a nine-member, elected board of directors, KIUC is one of 930 electric co-ops serving more than 36 million members in 47 states. KIUC has surged from less than 10 percent renewable generation in 2010 to 44 percent renewable at the end of 2017, and leads the nation in energy storage watts per customer.
About McMillen Jacobs Associates
McMillen Jacobs is a heavy civil design-build company specializing in water resources, hydropower, and underground project planning, design and construction. With over 450 staff members in 18 offices throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, McMillen Jacobs offers full service engineering and self-executing construction for hydropower and other energy projects, providing low cost, reliable renewable power to the public.
If you would like more information about this story, please call or email Marissa Emmons at 208-342-4214 or WKauaiEnergyProject@mcmjac.com