Daniel K. Inouye International Airport has a new backup power plant.

The state Department of Transportation Airports Division and Hawaiian Electric Co. said Thursday an emergency power facility, which uses four generators running on biofuels to provide up to 10 megawatts of power, was operational. The plant began providing electricity to the grid last weekend, after final testing was completed earlier this month.

The power plant was designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane and a 2,500-year recurrence earthquake. The facility also can switch from using biofuels to jet fuel in a longer-lasting emergency.

“Continuing operations at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport during and after a catastrophic event is critical for the state,” said Ford Fuchigami, state transportation director, in a prepared statement.

“The new Emergency Power Facility will be able to provide backup electricity to the airport during a power outage. The EPF is better for the environment since it works on biofuels instead of fossil fuels, further adding to its benefit,” the statement said.

In an emergency the facility has the capability of being isolated from the rest of HECO’s grid and provide power only for the airport. That would allow the airport to keep running if HECO’s grid is damaged during a disaster.

HECO will operate the $23 million facility and use it as power source for its grid in nonemergencies. HECO pays the state for its use of the facility and for maintenance of the generators.