Princeville Library Parking Gets New Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Construction began Dec. 3 on an electric vehicle charging installation at the Princeville Library, the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation announced. Funded by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, the charger will sit in the library parking area and is expected to open to the public in February 2027. The library will remain open throughout construction and the state Transportation Department will maintain safe access to the entrance while work proceeds.

Work will start with trenching and installation of underground utilities from December 2025 through June 2026. After underground work is complete the library contractor will repave the lot, and the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation will follow with installation of the charging equipment. There is a scheduled break in construction of six months while the project awaits delivery and installation of a battery energy storage system and additional electrical equipment. Final commissioning and public opening are anticipated in February 2027.

When operational the NEVI chargers at Princeville will support CCS and Charge de Move connectors and will be accessible 24 hours a day. Payment and charger availability will be visible in the EV Connect app, and chargers will accept credit card payment at the unit. The Princeville Library location is one of 11 NEVI charging stations planned statewide, and was listed as in construction as of December 2025.

For Kauai residents and visitors the station addresses a practical gap in island charging infrastructure, serving local drivers who do errands and household trips in Princeville as well as tourists renting electric vehicles. The location at a public library combines transportation convenience with community access, but residents should expect temporary changes to parking patterns and short term disruptions while trenching and paving occur. The six month pause to await energy storage components may delay continuous progress, but it will allow the site to include battery systems meant to stabilize local load and support resilience.

Beyond local convenience the project ties Kauai to a larger shift in transportation and energy policy across the state and the nation. As Hawaiʻi builds out public chargers in key communities, Princeville gains a permanent public charging option that will help reduce range anxiety, support low emission travel choices, and link the North Shore to statewide EV networks.