Wind turbines proposed
to supply electricity to Maui

A Hawaiian elders group favors the
environmentally safe proposal as
an alternative to fossil fuel

By Gary T. Kubota
Star-Bulletin

WAILUKU -- A company has proposed building 27 wind turbines on the West Maui Mountains to provide electricity to residents on the Valley Isle.

Zond Pacific Inc., a subsidiary of Enron Wind Corp. of California, wants to generate up to 20 megawatts of power from wind on a strip of conservation land owned by the state.

The state Office of Environmental Quality Control is asking for public comment on the wind proposal before a Nov. 9 deadline.

Zond proposes feeding the power into power lines that straddle the mountains.

Maui Electric provides about 170 megawatts of electricity.

Zond official Keith Avery said his company has been trying to negotiate a power-purchase contract with Maui Electric's parent company, Hawaiian Electric Co. Avery said the average power it plans to provide is 7 megawatts.

According to an environmental assessment, the company does not anticipate any problems with endangered species while operating the propellers.

Na Kupuna O Maui, a group of native Hawaiian elders who examined the project, is supporting the proposal.

"I look at it as positive growth," said Na Kupuna spokesman Edwin Lindsey, who examined the site. "It's the kind of development we need so we aren't tied to fossil fuel.

Avery said endangered species such as nene (Hawaiian goose) are located at a higher elevation. A three-month study with six wind turbines on the mountain in 1996 found there were no downed wildlife.

He said the wind turbines, about 74-feet high at the top of the propeller, have been put in a remote site between the 2,300- and 3,000-foot level, grassy land previously used for pasture.

He said the turbines will not be visible from the Lahaina pali and just slightly visible at a distance from south Maui.

Avery said Zond could have the wind turbines up and running within a year once it has negotiated a selling price with the utility.

Zond is also developing wind projects at Kahua Ranch on the Big Island and negotiating a contract with Campbell Estate to develop a project at Kahuku.

Larger projects include a wind farm in northern Minnesota that will be able to generate up to 400 megawatts.