Interisland Cable Project
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Preferred (black) and alternate (dashed) cable routes, as well as other routes surveyed (white dashed), on swath bathymetry. The routes avoid the bottom fish refuge areas. They minimize, but can't eliminate, segments within the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
The state of Hawai‘i is currently discussing the construction of an undersea cable system to transmit electricity between the islands of O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i, and possibly Maui. The interisland cable would increase access to renewable energy projects statewide, which could lead to consumer and business cost savings.
Learn more about the proposed interisland cable, including
The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) is coordinating the engineering and design of the cable. DBEDT is also responsible for securing all required offshore and onshore land rights permits and approvals, including feasibility and environmental impact studies.
Feasibility Study
To determine whether laying a power transmission cable on the ocean floor between the islands would be physically possible, the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology conducted a feasibility study. The results are outlined in the Hawai'i Interisland Cable Project Ocean Floor Survey: Final Report (PDF 3 MB) Download Adobe Reader. The study showed that laying a power transmission cable between the islands is physically possible via a number of different routes. Each route presents its own engineering and environmental challenges.
Environmental Impact Studies
Before the interisland cable can be built, a variety of environmental review documentation is required. Read more about efforts to determine the environmental impacts of the interisland cable project.
More Information
For more detailed information, contact the Hawai‘i State Energy Office. You may also visit Interisland Wind to learn about, comment on, or join forums on one of the largest proposed energy projects in Hawai‘i's history.
