Hawaii Data Center News

Feb 17, 2026

PTC’26: Writing the next chapter of digital infrastructure, responsibly

Ægir Rafn Magnússon of atNorth reports insights from PTC’26 in Honolulu.

Main message: atNorth attended PTC’26 (the Pacific Telecommunications Council conference) in Honolulu where the industry framed a new phase of growth driven by AI, connectivity, and the need to rethink digital infrastructure; the event was reported as the largest in its 48-year history and emphasised that power availability, financing, supply chain, workforce, and community alignment must be managed together.
Additional details: Speakers and panels highlighted renewable power access, responsible operations, and modular, scalable site design (atNorth’s stated approach); the conference also noted the convergence of connectivity and data centres with hyperscale campuses planned alongside subsea and terrestrial fibre routes and stressed execution through repeatable design and stable operations.

Jan 28, 2026

The POWER Interview: A Path Forward for Geothermal Energy

Rodatherm Energy Corp. completed an oversubscribed $38-million Series A funding round and is developing closed-loop AGS pilot projects in Beaver and Millard counties, Utah.

Main announcement: Rodatherm completed an $38-million Series A (September last year) and is piloting its closed-loop, refrigerant-based Advanced Geothermal System (AGS) in Beaver and Millard counties, Utah, seeking to validate efficiency versus traditional water-based systems.
Background/details: The company is Utah-based with operations in Calgary, Canada, claims its organic working fluid yields ~50% more power output than water-based systems, targets data centers and communities for baseload power, and lists investors including Evok Innovations, TDK Ventures, Toyota Ventures, TechEnergy Ventures, MCJ, Active Impact Investments, Renewal Funds, The Grantham Foundation, and Giga Investments.

Jan 22, 2026

Nokia Secures Altafiber Contract to Expand Fiber Networks in Ohio and Hawaii

Altafiber has announced it will deploy Nokia’s 25 Gbps PON technology and associated IP routing and optical transport equipment to expand its fiber network across Ohio and Hawaii.

Deployment details: Altafiber will use Nokia’s 25 Gbps passive optical network (PON) technology plus 7750 Service Routers and optical transport equipment including the 1830 Photonic Service Switch and Photonic Service Interconnect to scale multi-gigabit services for residential and business customers across Ohio and Hawaii.
Background and timelines: Altafiber serves >300,000 customers with fiber passing over 1.1 million premises; Nokia’s Lightspan platform supports 10G, 25G, and 50G PON on the same fiber, and Hawaiian Telcom (Altafiber) aims to make Hawaii fully fiber-enabled by end of 2026.

Jan 14, 2026

Climate Change Solutions - January 13, 2026

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) announced its first Congressional briefing of the year, a wildfire solutions briefing on Tuesday, January 27, hosted with the Federation of American Scientists.

Main announcement: EESI will host a Congressional briefing titled “Igniting Innovation: Progress and a Path Forward for Wildfire Policy” on Tuesday, January 27, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (reception to follow) at Russell Senate Office Building, Room SR-385 and online; RSVP available on the EESI briefing page and a reception follows the briefing.
Background & related actions: The newsletter summarizes recent federal actions signed by the President including MAPWaters (P.L. 119-62) improving recreational waterway data collection, Save Our Seas 2.0 (P.L. 119-65) reauthorizing EPA marine debris programs, Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization (P.L. 119-67) for USGS research funding, and La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act (P.L. 119-68) (expected to create more than 700 jobs and provide enough solar and battery capacity to power about 75,000 homes); it also notes wildfire costs of $424 billion annually and highlights EESI coverage on data center water use (cited by multiple media outlets).

Jan 5, 2026

India Explores Grid-Forming Technology To Strengthen Renewable Energy Integration And Grid Stability—Discussion Paper

Grid-India (Grid Controller of India Limited) has released a discussion paper recommending phased adoption of grid-forming (GFM) inverter technology to strengthen grid stability as India expands renewable capacity.

Main announcement: The discussion paper presents simulation studies (including large renewable complexes in Rajasthan) showing GFM inverters outperform grid-following (GFL) inverters during and after disturbances; it recommends that new BESS installations above 50 MW—especially in remote or weak-grid areas—include grid-forming capabilities, and it calls for updates to Indian grid codes and technical standards to align with international practice.
Background and details: The paper frames the change as part of India’s target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity, explains technical differences between GFL (current-source, grid-dependent) and GFM (controllable voltage-source, provides inertia-like response and black start), cites international transmission-level deployments (Australia, Great Britain, Saudi Arabia, United States) and a Hawaii BESS example, and recommends pilot projects and compliance verification timelines.

Jan 2, 2026

State Broadband Bills of 2025: A Legislative Review

State legislatures across the United States enacted and considered broadband-related legislation in 2025; fewer than 140 of more than 600 proposed bills became law.

Main actions: States enacted laws prioritizing infrastructure and permitting reforms, pole and rights-of-way access, criminal penalties for theft/vandalism, state broadband funding, and data center incentives. Notable enacted measures include Hawaii H 934 (established a state Broadband Office and programs, enacted in June and backed by $400 million in combined funding), West Virginia SB 907 (expanded the Economic Development Project Fund to allow up to $25 million annually for broadband incentives and up to $125 million annually for broadband loan insurance) and West Virginia HB 2014 (signed in April; created microgrid districts with zoning/permitting exemptions and special property tax treatment for qualifying projects).
Additional details and timelines: States also raised criminal penalties (e.g., Oklahoma classified willful damage to a critical infrastructure facility as a Class D3 felony with fines up to $100,000 and prison up to 10 years; Louisiana authorized fines up to $50,000 and prison up to 20 years; California AB 476 increased penalties for knowingly buying illegally obtained scrap metal to $5,000). Other enacted programs include California SB 338 (a $2 million telehealth pilot), New Mexico SB 126 (Rural USF increased from $30 million to $40 million), and Oregon’s device support up to $100 in Lifeline-related assistance. At least 37 states passed data center incentives in 2025 and over 1,000 AI-focused bills were introduced nationwide, with ~38 states adopting or enacting roughly 100 AI measures in 2025.

Jan 2, 2026

Meeting the Moment: Industry Leaders Chart the Course for Power in 2026

POWER’s executive editor Aaron Larson compiles industry leaders’ perspectives on the power sector outlook for 2026, highlighting AI, data‑center demand, solar growth, supply‑chain constraints, and regulatory changes such as FEOC.

Main announcement/action: Industry leaders describe 2026 as a pivotal year where AI integration into grid management and data center-driven load growth will force planning for gigawatts of new capacity; examples and concrete figures cited include the Hale Kuawehi Solar and Battery Project reaching commercial operations on March 25, 2025 (30 MW PV + 30 MW/120 MWh storage), the IEA projection of ~3.68 TW of solar capacity added by 2030, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 2028 data‑center energy projections of ~325–580 TWh under different scenarios.
Background and specific details: The article documents regulatory and supply‑chain constraints including FEOC rules restricting tax credits for projects with covered‑nation links (China, Russia, North Korea, Iran); notable investments and timelines cited include National Grid investing £35 billion over the next six years to strengthen supply chains in England and Wales, Dominion Energy spending $2.1 billion on transmission in the prior year and planning >$2.8 billion annually starting in 2027, and Siemens Energy investing about €220 million (Sept 2025) in Nuremberg and $150 million in 2024 in Charlotte. It also notes the DeepSeek R1 release in 2025 as a pivotal event influencing data‑center power demand forecasts.

Dec 30, 2025

Industry Opposed to New Licensing for Subsea Cable Terminals

The FCC proposed requiring a blanket license for companies operating submarine line terminal equipment (SLTE); multiple industry groups filed reply comments opposing or seeking exemptions to the proposal.

Main action: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed a licensing regime in an August notice for companies operating SLTE where submarine cables connect with terrestrial networks; reply comments were posted Dec. 29, 2025. Key groups filing opposition or conditions include INCOMPAS, NCTA, the International Connectivity Coalition (ICC), and Crosslake Fiber. INCOMPAS argued the regime exceeds the Commission’s statutory authority and that third-party SLTE owners fall outside the Cable Landing Licensing Act; NCTA requested either a trusted domestic-entity exemption or narrowed cybersecurity/physical security reporting requirements.
Background and details: The FCC said federal law enforcement agencies had “identified substantial national security risks associated with” SLTE and is collecting information on SLTE operators because it has “incomplete information” about who operates these connection points. ICC noted the FCC’s August order had already largely restricted participation by foreign adversary countries, and Crosslake Fiber highlighted operational connectivity between Canada and New York. No specific monetary figures or implementation timelines beyond the August notice and December reply comments were provided.

Dec 22, 2025

Analyzer delivers real-time insights for US power grid

Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee have developed a Universal GridEdge Analyzer that provides real-time, high-resolution insight into electric grid behavior and has won an R&D 100 Award.

Device capabilities and deployment: The compact analyzer measures 60,000 samples/second of voltage and current waveforms, then compresses, encrypts, and streams the data to centralized servers; it can be embedded in power electronics, installed on distribution lines, or plugged into wall outlets, and is already being used by utilities in Hawaii and Texas to monitor fast grid dynamics and power electronics behavior.
Context and applications: Building on UT’s FNET/GridEye network of ~200 U.S. sensors and ~100 worldwide, the new analyzer captures high-speed incidents that older systems miss and is specifically used to understand how data centers and distributed energy plants with batteries interact with the grid, including voltage fluctuations at AI data centers that can trigger rapid switches to backup power.

Dec 18, 2025

Climate Change Solutions - December 16, 2025

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) issues a Climate Change Solutions newsletter summarizing recent climate, energy, and environmental policy developments, briefings, and media coverage in the United States.

Newsletter content highlights articles on FEMA reform (FEMA Act, H.R.4669), ghost fishing gear in Hawaiʻi, and global green building standards (LEED, BREEAM), plus an EESI briefing on how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21) changed 12 clean energy and efficiency tax incentives and how companies and consumers are adjusting.
Capitol Hill updates cover House passage or advancement of the Electric Supply Chain Act (H.R.3638), ePermit Act (H.R.4503), ESTUARIES Act (H.R.3962 / S.2063), and multiple PFAS bills (H.R.6668 / S.3457, H.R.6626 / S.3460, H.R.6667, S.3445, S.3446), as well as links to EESI legislative trackers, grid and industrial decarbonization briefings, and external media citations of EESI work on data centers, water use, and EERE investments.

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