Hawaiian Electric Co. would receive 800,000 tonnes of LNG annually for local power generation from FortisBC’s Tilbury LNG facility in Delta, British Columbia, beginning in 2021 under a 20-year agreement entered into by Hawaiian Electric and Fortis Hawaii Energy Inc., parent company Fortis Inc. said May 19.

To support the agreement, the Tilbury LNG facility would require further expansions, including additional liquefaction equipment and a new 1.1 million gigajoules storage tank. A new power line would also be needed.

FortisBC's natural gas utility would continue owning and operating the existing equipment and facility at Tilbury that serves domestic customers.

The agreement outlines the necessary conditions and approvals-- government and regulatory approvals in British Columbia and Hawaii will be required, as well the approval of the merger of Hawaiian Electric and NextEra Energy Resources. If all conditions are met and government, regulatory and internal approvals are received, expansion of the Tilbury LNG facility would commence in 2018.

Hawaii plans to use 100% renewables for electricity generation by 2045. In a filing with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, Hawaiian Electric said importing natural gas from British Columbia will decrease its present reliance on imported oil for almost 80% of its electricity generation and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.