Hawaii to close its only coal power plant in a step toward renewable energy

Hawaii will close the AES power plant which has been in use since 1992 on Oahu, home to the state capital, Honolulu. Photograph: Eugene Tanner/AP

Hawaii will close its only coal-fired power plant on Thursday, an aggressive step forward in the state’s effort to transition entirely to renewable energy by 2045.

The AES power plant has been in use since 1992 on Oahu – the state’s third largest island and home to its capital Honolulu – and is responsible for as much as 20% of the island’s electricity.