For the next three months or so, there will be only one temporary gas station serving the North Shore of Kauaʻi.
Aloha Gas in Kīlauea temporarily closed Monday for a major renovation that will replace its underground fuel tanks, expand its fueling capacity and add diesel.
While the renovation will be beneficial to residents and visitors in the long run, it will leave residents and visitors with only one other source for fueling up: the temporary Aloha Gas station pods in Princeville.
The pods opened in March 2025 after the Shell station in Princeville closed as part of the planned expansion of the Princeville Shopping Center. The temporary facility has three pump pods offering regular gasoline, diesel and non-ethanol fuel.
The Aloha Gas station in Kīlauea had become the main fuel source for residents, visitors, fishers, and truckers in communities stretching from Princeville to Hanalei, Wainiha and beyond.
The next nearest gas station is to the south in Kapa’a, which is at least 30 minutes away from Kīlauea, and longer for the other towns.
“We apologize for the inconvenience,” said Dana Bala, store manager of Aloha Gas in Kīlauea. “But in the long run, it would be better to serve the community better.”
The gas station is expected to be closed for about three months, although the timeline could change and possible be shorter depending on permits and the pace of construction, Bala said.
The renovation will replace the station’s existing underground tanks with larger tanks and add additional fueling capacity, including diesel service. Bala said the upgrades are being made to meet the growing demand in the area and provide a safer, more reliable station for the community.
The station currently has six fueling positions. Plans call for additional pumps, although Bala said the exact configuration is still being finalized.
At the time, organizations involved in the Princeville project acknowledged that removing the longtime Shell station would create a significant disruption for the community.
David Haverly, president of Haverly Commercial Real Estate, said during a 2024 community meeting in Princeville that the project would require the existing station to be decommissioned and its aging underground tanks removed before a permanent replacement could be built.
The temporary Princeville station was intended to provide fuel while the larger shopping center project moved forward. Haverly could not be reached for comment about the progress of the project.
The temporary facility has limited capacity, and Bala said it does not fully meet the demand of the North Shore.
The manager said the disruption is especially difficult because employees of the station also live in the surrounding communities.
“We are part of the community,” Bala said. “Whatever we give to our customers is what we are getting also, because we are part of the community. I am also grateful to Aloha Gas for keeping the store open so that nobody has to be laid off.”
All 20 workers at the station’s convenience store including the Subway restaurant are expected to remain working and operational during the renovation, allowing customers to continue accessing those businesses even while the fuel pumps are shut down.
Bala said the construction crews have been working hard to complete the project and expressed appreciation for their efforts.
For North Shore residents, the closure is another disruption to an area that has already experienced changes to its commercial services.
The 2025 closure of the North Shore General Store and Shell station in Princeville also eliminated a longtime source of groceries and prepared food. The temporary Aloha Gas installation restored some fuel access, but the broader Princeville Shopping Center redevelopment remains underway.
The planned permanent improvements at Kīlauea’s Aloha Gas station are intended to address some of those challenges by increasing fuel storage and pumping capacity and adding diesel service.
The manager acknowledged that the timing of the project is difficult for residents and motorists but said the investment is ultimately intended to benefit the community.
“It is a big impact for everybody,” the manager said. “But again, in the long run, it really is beneficial.”
