Electricity firm begins
work on Kona plant

A group opposed to the project vows
to keep fighting, saying it is illegal

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By Rod Thompson
rthompson@starbulletin.com

KAILUA-KONA >> After 10 years of delays, the Hawaii Electric Light Co. has begun work on its 56-megawatt power plant at Keahole, North Kona.

But the Keahole Defense Coalition, which has fought the project for years, says it will be back in court in July, arguing that the plant is unlawful.

The project is on 15 acres of conservation land near Kona's Keahole Airport. In March, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources granted a time extension for the project to Dec. 31, 2003, and ordered HELCO to get the 15 acres redesignated as urban.

"To me, it shows they are giving HELCO time to finish the plant," said Keahole Defense member Peggy Ratliff. Once the plant is built, even if it is determined to be illegal, it will be impossible to make HELCO tear it down, she said.

Keahole Defense opposed the plant because of potential air pollution. HELCO President Warren Lee responded that the plant will meet federal air quality standards, based on "the most reviewed permit in the state of Hawaii."

Another complaint is noise. Keahole Defense member Keichi Ikeda says the plant will be about four times noisier than state Department of Health standards allow. The coalition hopes to use that and other points to get a judge to invalidate the time extension.

HELCO first applied to build the plant in 1992 when the Big Island was suffering rolling blackouts because of power shortages. Geothermal power was far behind schedule.

Since then, geothermal has provided up to 30 megawatts but has fallen back to just five megawatts because of a plugged well, Lee said.

Hamakua Energy Project has come online with 60 megawatts, but a contract with Hilo Coast Power Co. for 22 megawatts, which Lee says is too expensive, will expire in 2004.

HELCO also has many small, inefficient old plants it wants to get rid of.