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Helco to buy power
from wind farm

By Rod Thompson
Star-Bulletin

HILO -- The Hawaii Electric Light Co. has reached an agreement to buy power from a 10-megawatt wind energy farm to be located at Kahua Ranch in North Kohala, the company announced. The contract must be approved by the Public Utilities Commission.

The $17 million facility would be developed by Kahua Power Partners, an affiliate of Zond Pacific, and could produce power by the end of the year, Helco said.

Maui Electric, like Helco, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., is also in the final stages of reaching a contract with Zond Pacific for a 20-megawatt wind farm at Kaheawa Pastures on Maui, Helco said.

The Big Island now receives almost 30 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, including the 30-megawatt Puna Geothermal Venture plant. That compares to 2 percent nationwide, the company said.

Unlike geothermal power, wind power is not considered "firm" because the wind doesn't always blow, so there will be a continuing need for "conventional" power sources, Helco said.