LIHUE, Hawaii >> Kauai’s electric utility is inviting the public to visit the state’s largest solar power project.

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative plans to hold an open house its new solar farm in Koloa on Saturday.

Engineers will explain how the facility’s more than 45,000 panels provide electricity to the grid.

The solar farm enables the utility to reduce its annual fuel oil consumption by 1.7 million gallons.

The solar array became operational in July and went into full commercial operation this month. The $40 million project was built by SolarCity on 67 acres leased from Grove Farm.

The array will generate 5.5 percent of the electricity used on Kauai each year. It produces enough electricity to power about 4,000 homes.