Hawaii County

Moratoriums and bans

1. Oct. 15, 2026 Hawaii County: Ban (proposed). Bill 170, a zoning amendment introduced by Council member Heather Kimball, would define data centers apart from the data processing facilities already allowed in industrial-commercial mixed-use zones and would not list them as a permitted use, which would in effect bar new ones countywide; reporting says facilities serving public institutions are exempt and existing ones are not affected. The council's planning committee sent it to the planning commissions 8-0 on July 7, 2026. The Windward Planning Commission voted 5-1 in early October to recommend against it, citing an unclear definition; the Leeward Planning Commission voted unanimously on Oct. 15 to recommend it and suggested a moratorium be considered. It returns to the County Council; not adopted as of Oct. 27, 2026. (Hawaii Tribune-Herald, July 8, 2026; Big Island Video News, July 8, 2026; Hawaii Public Radio, July 8, 2026; Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Sept. 9, 2026; Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Hawaii Tribune-Herald), Oct. 3, 2026; Honolulu Civil Beat, Oct. 7, 2026; Hawaii Tribune-Herald, Oct. 16, 2026)

Updates, newest first

1. Oct. 15, 2026 Hawaii County: Ban (proposed) · Bill 170, a zoning amendment introduced by Council member Heather Kimball, would define data centers apart from the data processing facilities already allowed in industrial-commercial mixed-use zones and would not list them as a permitted use, which would in effect bar new ones countywide; reporting says facilities serving public institutions are exempt and existing ones are not affected. The council's planning committee sent it to the planning commissions 8-0 on July 7, 2026. The Windward Planning Commission voted 5-1 in early October to recommend against it, citing an unclear definition; the Leeward Planning Commission voted unanimously on Oct. 15 to recommend it and suggested a moratorium be considered. It returns to the County Council; not adopted as of Oct. 27, 2026. (Hawaii Tribune-Herald, July 8, 2026; Big Island Video News, July 8, 2026; Hawaii Public Radio, July 8, 2026; Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Sept. 9, 2026; Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Hawaii Tribune-Herald), Oct. 3, 2026; Honolulu Civil Beat, Oct. 7, 2026; Hawaii Tribune-Herald, Oct. 16, 2026)
2. Oct. 2026 Hawaiian Telcom Kawaihae Data Center · Hawaiian Telcom markets colocation at Kawaihae on its business pages. (Hawaiian Telcom, undated; Hawaiian Telcom, undated)
3. Sept. 2022 Hawaiian Telcom Kawaihae Data Center · Hawaiian Telcom publishes a product sheet for colocation at the Kawaihae Data Center. (Hawaiian Telcom, Sept. 2022)

Statewide

Data center study (2026): HCR 206 HD1 and HR 196 HD1, adopted in April 2026, ask the Hawaii State Energy Office to convene a working group on how data centers of 5 MW or more would affect utilities, ratepayers, water and climate goals and to report before the 2027 session; the resolution notes Hawaii had not yet received a hyperscale proposal. (Hawaii State Legislature, April 1, 2026; Civil Beat Digital Democracy (legislative status tracker), April 27, 2026; Hawaii State Legislature, April 1, 2026; LegiScan (legislative status tracker), April 9, 2026) The Senate's version, SR 90, was reported out of committee as amended (SD 1) on April 8, 2026, adding study items such as a megawatt threshold for a large data center, on-site backup power that can curtail load in grid emergencies, independently verified energy and water reporting, and ties to the PUC's integrated grid planning; the concurrent SCR 95 SD1 was referred to House committees on April 10. Civil Beat reported the working group first met in September 2026. (Hawaii State Senate, April 8, 2026; Civil Beat Digital Democracy (legislative status tracker), April 8, 2026; Hawaii State Senate, April 9, 2026; LegiScan (legislative status tracker), April 10, 2026; Honolulu Civil Beat, Oct. 7, 2026) Tax credit (not enacted): SB 338 (2025) would have revived the 4% technology infrastructure renovation income-tax credit (HRS 235-110.51) and added data servers to qualifying equipment; it cleared Senate committees in February 2025 and a House committee on March 21, 2025, and has no recorded action since then. (Hawaii State Senate, Feb. 12, 2025; Hawaii House of Representatives, March 21, 2025; Hawaii State Legislature, March 21, 2025; Legiplex (legislative status tracker), March 21, 2025) Hawaii data centers →