Hawaiian Electric Co. will take its Honolulu Power Plant offline on January 31, 2014, according to a Tuesday press release. 

The plant, which went into service in 1954, is being deactivated due to the HECO’s increased adoption of renewable resources. 

HECO plans to eventually deactivate a total of 226 megawatts of generation by 2016. 

From HECO: 
 

The growth in renewable energy is dramatically changing Oahu’s energy landscape. Today, a growing amount of the island’s energy needs is powered by Hawaiian Electric’s biofueled generating station at Campbell Industrial Park, the City & County’s H-POWER waste-to-energy facility, two wind farms owned and operated by First Wind, several utility-scale solar facilities and more 23,000 photovoltaic systems on customers’ rooftops. Hawaiian Electric is also seeking permission from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to pursue five more renewable energy projects on Oahu with a combined capacity of 64 megawatts.

As of mid-2013, more than 18 percent of the electricity used by customers of the three Hawaiian Electric Companies – Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light – comes from renewable resources, exceeding the state’s 2015 goal of 15 percent.

Deactivation of Honolulu Power Plant is part of a plan to deactivate a total of 226 megawatts of utility-owned generation by 2016, as described in the companies’ new Integrated Resource Plan filed with the Public Utilities Commission at the end of June. Two generating units at the Waiau Power Plant are scheduled for deactivation by 2016. Hawaii Island’s Shipman plant, which has already been deactivated, will be retired in 2014. And on Maui, two of Kahului Power Plant’s four units will be deactivated in 2014, and all four units will be retired by 2019. Hawaiian Electric has also committed to review its generation resource needs on an annual basis, and based on that, additional units will likely be identified for deactivation in the years ahead.

“Deactivation” means the power plant will no longer be available for routine service. However, if necessary to avoid a power shortage to customers and with appropriate preparation, deactivated units could be restored to operation. By contrast, “retirement” or “decommission” means a generating unit is permanently removed from service and no longer available under any circumstances.

— Sophie Cocke