70th largest plant in Hawaii · 12726th nationally
Waiau Hydro is a hydroelectric power plant in Hawaii with a nameplate capacity of 1.0 MW.
| Plant Name | Waiau Hydro |
|---|---|
| Operator | Hawaii Electric Light Co Inc |
| City | Hilo |
| County | Hawaii County |
| State | Hawaii |
| ZIP | 96720 |
| Coordinates | 19.72030, -155.11890 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 0.7 MW | Operating | 1921 |
| 2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 0.3 MW | Operating | 1928 |
Hydroelectric plants spin turbines using falling or flowing water — typically from a dam-impounded reservoir. They are dispatchable, long-lived, and emission-free at the point of generation, though large reservoirs can disrupt rivers and ecosystems and methane can be released from flooded vegetation.