Kauai Island Utility Cooperative signed a contract today with Poipu Solar LLC to build what would the state’s largest solar farm on the southern side of the island.

The 3-megawatt photovoltaic project and battery storage system will be built in Koloa on Knudsen Trust land, according to a news release from KIUC.

Pending the Public Utilities Commission approval, construction on the project will begin next year.
The project will owned and operated by an affiliate of AES Solar Power LLC, which will sell the electricity at a fixed price to KIUC.

This project will provide enough electricity to power more than 850 homes for the next 20 years, according to KIUC.

The project will be more than double the size of the 1.2 megawatt La Ola Solar farm on Lanai, currently the state’s largest solar farm.