Schofield Barracks Micro-grid: Aids Oahu’s Community Amidst Power Fluctuations

Schofield Barracks, Hawaii (HECO Schofield Power Generating Station) — U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii Commander Col. Steve McGunegle speaks to a local reporter about the broader community benefits of the 50 megawatt generating station in the central plain of Oahu. Built in 2016 and resting on 8 acres on the Army base in Wahiawa, the $167M capital investment by HECO Schofield Generating Station (SGS) is the only power generation facility on Oahu located above the tsunami strike zone.

The SGS, also known as a micro grid, enables SGS to provide dedicated power within two hours of a request to one of the military bases (Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, Field Station Kunia and South Range) or push energy to the community grid. Recently on 8 January 2024, during the heavy rains experience across Oahu, the HECO SGS was activated and provided approximately 40 MW into the community grid as two large generating units at Waiau Power Plant went offline and production from solar energy systems had also been reduced.

The SGS runs off of locally produced bio-diesel (think cooking oil) and has the capacity to operate unimpeded for approximately 7 days. The SGS is part of the larger strategic effort for the Army to leverage renewable fuels (Biodiesel, Solar, Water) and become more sustainable and efficient across the 22 Army sites on Oahu.