HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-09-21 Nani B. Testimony
From: Nanialoha Bee
To: Planning LPC Testimony
Subject: BANNING DATA CENTERS in Hawaii
Date: Monday, September 21, 2026 3:06:13 PM
Sept. 21,2026
Aloha Chair, Vice Chair and members of the Committee,
My name is Nani and I live in Hilo, Hawaii, this is in regards to bill 170 regarding Data Center or Data Processing Facility, however you plan on distinguishing them. Perhaps you should include the
definition of HYPERSCALE Data Centers as well. I am in support of a total BAN in HAWAII for any future data centers, data facilities, or hyperscale Data centers to be built.
Before I get into all the FACTS of why there should be a total BAN, I would like to mention. I do believe many people were under the impression this meeting would be for the Leeward Planning
Commission that would be reviewing a request to build a data center in West Hawaii. In which many oppose! If this meeting is indeed to close the loophole for developers to exploit our island by building data centers/Hyperscale Data Center, then I support anything that provides a permanent ban.
A Data center even at its most efficient will not supply long term jobs. After a center is built, it
would only require 10’s of people to be employed. Also, the number of resources this would pull, regardless of location is much more than our island can handle.
Electricity (the biggest draw) A 100 MW facility running around the clock is comparable to the peak load of an entire mid-sized
Hawaiian island. Hawaii Island’s firm capacity is roughly 280 MW with a peak near 184 MW; Maui’s firm capacity is similar; Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi are an order of magnitude smaller (around 12 MW and 9 MW). Adding even one hyperscale load would require large new generation, transmission upgrades, and reserve margin—most of which still comes from imported petroleum. Ratepayers could end up paying for the infrastructure if costs are not fully assigned to the data-center developer. Tropical heat and humidity also reduce the hours when cheap “free air cooling” works, so more power goes to mechanical chillers.
Water Evaporative cooling at a large facility commonly uses 1–5 million gallons per day (hundreds of millions to over a billion gallons a year). That volume can rival or exceed the municipal demand of a whole town.
Land and supporting infrastructure On a small island this collides with agricultural land, cultural sites, conservation areas, and tourism viewsheds. Everything from concrete and steel to servers and diesel for emergency generators must be shipped in. This will also collide with habitats and air quality.
Connectivity and people Hawaii is a trans-Pacific cable hub, but our island may lack sufficient landing capacity or terrestrial fiber. The local tech workforce is limited, so construction and operations would import labor and raise housing pressure. Locals can hardly afford housing as it is, how will this outsourcing help? It will not, it will only raise the cost of living for our residents.
In closing, if this committee does not protect our island, then the people will be forced to do so on their own once again.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Mahalo, Nani B.