Overview
Mana Solar + Storage, LLC, a subsidiary of The AES Corporation, Inc. (AES), is proposing to build, operate, and decommission the Mānā Solar + Storage Project on a portion of State of Hawaiʻi-owned TMK (4) 1-2-002:001 in Kekaha, Waimea District, County of Kauaʻi, State of Hawaiʻi. The project is an alternative energy project with compatible agricultural operations on an approximately 377-acre portion of the subject parcel. The alternative energy project elements will consist of (a) photovoltaic (PV) solar panels capable of producing 35 megawatts of alternating current (MWac), (b) a battery energy storage system (BESS) capable of storing up to 140 megawatt hours (MWh) of energy and dispatching it to the grid at a maximum rate of 35 MW per hour, and (c) a substation and other electrical infrastructure. Compatible agriculture is currently planned and may include kalo production, beekeeping/honey production, and other crop cultivation, with the project land made available to local agricultural partners at no cost.
Concurrently, the Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) is proposing to construct and operate an approximately 1- to 1.5-mile-long overhead transmission line between the AES project and its existing transmission line along Kaumualiʻi Highway.
The renewable energy generated and stored will be sold by AES to KIUC at a fixed price established in the terms of a Public Utilities Commission (PUC)-approved Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
Draft Environmental Assessment & Public Comment
The Draft Environmental Assessment and Anticipated Finding of No Significant Impact (DEA-AFONSI) for the Mānā Solar + Storage Project has been published in the State of Hawaiʻi Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Environmental Review Program's The Environmental Notice and is now available for public review and comment.
Type of Document/Determination: Draft Environmental Assessment and Anticipated Finding of No Significant Impact (DEA-AFONSI)
HRS 343-5(a) Trigger(s): Propose the use of state or county lands or the use of state or county funds
Tax Map Key (TMK): (4) 1-2-002:001 (portion)
Discretionary consent required: State Special Permit
Other required permits and approvals: Use Permit, Class IV Zoning Permit, NPDES Construction Permit, Noise Permit, Grading Permit, Grubbing Permit, Stockpiling Permit, and Building Permit
Approving Agency: County of Kauaʻi, Planning Department
The 30-day public comment period for the DEA-AFONSI will run from October 23, 2026 through November 23, 2026.
To submit comments on the DEA-AFONSI, please email or mail comments to:
Email: jim@psi-hi.com
Phone (questions): (808) 550-4559
Mail: Planning Solutions, Inc.
711 Kapiʻolani Boulevard, Suite 910
Honolulu, HI 96813
