JERA Promotes LNG Project in Hawaii Amid Criticisms

Japanese energy giant JERA is promoting its proposed liquefied natural gas project in Hawaii as a way to lower electric bills and provide reliable power.

The company's vice president, Erik Montague, said that adding LNG as one of Hawaii's energy sources would lower generation costs and make the state more affordable and sustainable.

However, not everyone is convinced. The president of the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 12-591, Jarrett Wa'a, expressed concern about the project's potential impact on the state's renewable energy plan.

The proposed LNG facility is scheduled to begin operating as soon as 2030 and would involve a floating storage and re-gas unit that would float offshore and receive gas from a subsea pipeline.