Hawaiian Electric orders six GE Vernova aeroderivative turbines to repower aging O’ahu plant and add over 250 MW of firm capacity
AI-madeHawaiian Electric announced on July 20 that it has contracted GE Vernova to supply six LM6000VELOX aeroderivative gas turbine packages for its Waiau Power Plant in Pearl City, O’ahu. The utility calls it the most significant modernization of O’ahu’s generation infrastructure in decades.
The first two units are scheduled to enter commercial operation in 2029, with the remaining four coming online in subsequent phases.
Hawaiian Electric signs contract with GE Vernova for six turbine units
The contract, announced July 20, 2026, pairs Hawaiian Electric with GE Vernova for those six LM6000VELOX aeroderivative gas turbine packages. For GE Vernova’s financial reporting, the order was booked in Q2 2026.
The entire project will be built within the existing Waiau plant footprint, reusing much of the current infrastructure to reduce costs and limit community impact.
The rollout is phased — the first two units target commercial operation in 2029. Specific timing for the remaining four hasn’t been publicly detailed yet. The agreement represents a long-term infrastructure commitment, with engineering, procurement, and installation work expected to span several years across multiple construction phases.
Aging steam turbines and grid isolation drive the replacement decision
The units being replaced aren’t just old — they’re between 58 and 67 years old and already slated for retirement. Those oil-fired steam turbines have served Waiau for decades, but their age makes continued operation increasingly impractical. Maintenance costs rise as components become harder to source, and efficiency declines as equipment ages past its design life.
Hawaii’s geography adds another layer of urgency. Unlike utilities on the continental U.S., Hawaiian Electric can’t tap into neighboring grids when demand spikes or a generator trips offline. The island grid stands alone, and any gap in firm generating capacity has no easy backup. That isolation makes rapid-response capability essential — when clouds roll over solar arrays or wind drops off, the grid needs generation that can spin up fast. State emissions reduction goals also favor newer, cleaner technology over patching aging infrastructure.
New turbines to add over 250 MW and balance variable renewable output
When fully complete, the project is expected to deliver more than 250 MW of firm power to the O’ahu grid — capacity that shows up reliably, regardless of weather.
Speed of response is a defining feature of the LM6000VELOX design. According to GE Vernova CEO of Gas Power for the Americas Dave Ross, the units can go from a cold start to full load in under 10 minutes. That ramp rate is borrowed from jet engine technology, and it’s precisely what an isolated island grid needs when renewable output dips without warning.
Fuel flexibility adds resilience in a different direction. The turbines run on a variety of liquid fuels, including biofuels produced locally in Hawaii, and can be converted to liquefied natural gas if that supply becomes available. Hawaiian Electric Vice President of Power Supply Mike DeCaprio described the project as “the most significant modernization of the O’ahu generation infrastructure in decades,” adding that it will strengthen system reliability while supporting the integration of more solar and energy storage.
Project reuses existing plant footprint to limit cost and community disruption
One of the more practical aspects of this deal is location: the new turbines go directly within the current Waiau Power Plant footprint in Pearl City. No new site, no land acquisition.
Much of the existing infrastructure gets reused during installation, which helps contain construction costs. That matters on an island market where logistics and materials run inherently higher than on the mainland. Keeping the project within the established footprint also limits disruption to the surrounding Pearl City community — repowering an existing industrial site is a very different proposition from breaking ground somewhere new.
The modular nature of GE Vernova’s aeroderivative units supports this approach. Compact and deployable in phases, they fit more naturally into constrained sites than large conventional steam turbine installations ever could. That modularity also gives Hawaiian Electric flexibility to bring capacity online incrementally rather than waiting for a single large installation to complete.
The first two units are on track
Hawaiian Electric has contracted GE Vernova to supply six LM6000VELOX aeroderivative gas turbine packages to repower the Waiau Power Plant in Pearl City, O’ahu. The oil-fired steam turbines being replaced are between 58 and 67 years old.
The first two units are on track for commercial operation in 2029, with the remaining four following in phases. When fully complete, the project is expected to add more than 250 MW of firm capacity to the O’ahu grid.
The turbines can cold-start to full load in under 10 minutes — a critical capability for Hawaii’s electrically isolated grid. They’re fuel-flexible, compatible with local biofuels, and convertible to LNG. The entire project will be built within the existing Waiau plant footprint, reusing much of the current infrastructure to reduce costs and limit community impact. GE Vernova booked the order in Q2 2026.
Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.
