KIUC Signs Agreement with Free Flow Power for Hydro Power Project on Kauai

Kauai Island Utility (KIUC) has announced that it has entered into a preliminary agreement with Free Flow Power, a Massachusetts-based company to develop hydroelectric energy projects in Kauai.

According to David Bissell, KIUC’s acting CEO, this was the first step in a prolonged public process for exploring the practicality of a number of hydroelectric projects. Their company had recognized the potential for hydroelectric in Kauai a long time ago and the company now has the finance and an expert developer to proceed with the projects.

Free Flow Power is based in Gloucester in Massachusetts and has filed four preliminary applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If these applications meet with approval and permits are issued, KIUC and Free Flow would take further steps to explore the viability of the projects. The whole process is expected to go on for many years with various regulatory agencies conducting numerous reviews. Currently, five commercial hydroelectric power plants are operating in the state of which two are in Maui and three on the Big Island and have a 21 MW of total generation capacity.