Hawaii Gas’ LNG bulk shipment goal still 2019, despite HECO delay
Hawaii Gas is still planning on importing bulk shipments of liquefied natural gas to the state starting in 2019, despite Hawaiian Electric Co.’s delay of its own shipments of this type of fuel, its CEO confirmed to PBN.
“Our goal is still 2019,” Alicia Moy, president and CEO of Honolulu-based Hawaii Gas, a subsidiary of Macquarie Infrastructure Co. (NYSE: MIC), told PBN. “We are getting final bids shortly from finalists. We’ve had a very good list to choose from. [We put forth] some very tough criteria. We are really happy with the finalists.”
Moy declined to specify the names or numbers of finalists it currently has for its LNG bulk shipments.
In April, she said at an industry event in Honolulu that shipping in LNG to the Islands could save Hawaii $55 million per year in fuel costs if 50 percent of imported oil is replaced by LNG, and in the case of 100 percent replacement, the state could save nearly $100 million per year.
Hawaii Gas, the state’s only regulated gas utility, plans to supply itself and other independent power producers in the state with LNG, as well as other industries, including ground and marine transportation companies, and even Hawaiian Electric.
Earlier this month, Hawaiian Electric said it does not envision shipping LNG to Hawaii until 2019, two years later than it originally planned, as first reported by PBN.
