+- Punaweb Forum (http://punaweb.org/forum)
+-- Forum: Punaweb Forums (http://punaweb.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=3)
+--- Forum: Punatalk (http://punaweb.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=10)
+--- Thread: geothermal delayed (/showthread.php?tid=12779)
geothermal delayed - Bullwinkle - 12-03-2013
from today's trib:
By TOM CALLIS
Tribune-Herald staff writer
The Hawaii Electric Light Co. says awarding a contract for another 50 megawatts of geothermal power will take more time.
But how long remains unclear.
The utility was initially expecting to make a selection among the six companies that submitted proposals by September.
It later pushed that timeline to the end of November.
That deadline was missed, and HELCO Administration Manager Rhea Lee said Monday that a new date is in the process of being determined.
Whether that could be the end of the month or sometime next year, she was unable to elaborate.
“We’ll be providing information, additional information, on the next steps in the coming few weeks,” Lee said.
What is causing the delay also remains unclear.
Lee said she is unable to comment on why the process is taking longer than anticipated.
“I cannot discuss the reasons for the holdup,” she said.
Lee added: “I can tell you that we are really looking at these proposals very closely.
“We want to make sure that geothermal that we add will not be tied to the price of oil because we do want to lower the electrical rates for the customers. It’s not an easy decision.”
Twenty-five of the 38 mgw of geothermal power HELCO buys from Puna Geothermal Venture, the only existing geothermal plant in the state, is tied to the cost of oil.
Asked if the proposals are too costly or if HELCO is asking for more information from those seeking the contract, Lee said again she could not comment.
PGV, owned by Ormat Technologies, is one of the companies seeking the new contract.
Additionally, HELCO is still talking to some of if its independent power producers about renegotiating contracts to detach the cost of buying the electricity from the price of oil, Lee said. Those producers include companies like PGV that sell power to the utility. Lee said she could also not discuss details about those talks.
“I can say that some are willing to talk with us and are talking with us,” she said. “Some are not.”
Those talks began last year
http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections/news/local-news/helco-delays-geothermal-contract.html
RE: geothermal delayed - tada - 12-03-2013
I'd like to see IDG feature their New Zealand facility in their next commercial.
RE: geothermal delayed - kalakoa - 12-03-2013
And yet HELCO is amazingly competent at scheduling their rate increases...
RE: geothermal delayed - ckg - 12-03-2013
They are probably dangling a carrot to Ormat of we'll give you the new plant contract if you allow us to renegotiate our old contract and pay Cost + regulated profit instead of pure oil rates. That would be my guess. Then at least Helco would have some room to show tangible benefits to expand Geothermal further instead of power generation $ going straight to Ormat never hitting Helco books.
RE: geothermal delayed - Rob Tucker - 12-03-2013
I believe that Ormat's contract for the additional Kw of power, from 38 to 50, already contains pricing for the additional Kw on actual costs, not equivalent oil price.
RE: geothermal delayed - Bullwinkle - 12-03-2013
love the Heco / Helco press release
"we dont have to tell you anything we do not want to" transparency - not - grin
RE: geothermal delayed - Guest - 12-03-2013
So does the state or helco know where they want this future geothermal plant? Or are they waiting to see who first? Seems the folks putting in the bids should have an idea where this may be located?. This smells rotten to me like the crap that comes out of the current geothermal. A thick greyish, rotten-egg smelling, Gas that stays about 3 feet off the ground a half dozen times a year. Because one has been financially successful here in puna since the 80's. It must be safe enough for the community and geo's tenure has been the states health study. Just my opinion here but this has already been decided long ago, the only ones who don't know yet is the general public like the community their sticking it in. Puna, better yet Poihiki will be getting this new plant not Kona or Maui. Kealoha family has plenty land in that area and the Hawaiian affiliations are all over this new multi- million-dollar get rich sheeme with the state. The movement really started in this direction years ago when the Hawaiian's started calling this steam a "GIFT FROM PELE", And the state fast-forwarded paper-work in OAHU taking the decision out of the communities hands. So again I strongly feel the State has had intentions for years now, behind our backs their making sure our voices as tax-paying citizens living here within a couple miles of all this will not be heard. WE live two miles from the plant and never have WE had even a single survey from any health or state regarding possible health effects or noise, nausea, concerns of safety or evacuation questions. NOTHING. So obviously they do not want to hear what we have to say about another plant in the same neighborhood, or the one making millions now. Does anyone know who would be liable for say a serious explosion at this current plant or even a large leak that MAY sicken many?. Ormat may run the show, Hawaii may be the location, Many large organizations are sharing the 150-million dollars plus a year. But who would be responsible in case of a disaster?. Please put it on record here and lets have it validated to answer this small question that MAY effect many. The steam from pele naturally being here is a gift. The man made chemically induced steam is not her gift at all only her warning we are only using her for large profits. It's Not because our community needs more electricity, we actually need less and less every year. JMO.
RE: geothermal delayed - Guest - 12-10-2013
Are we still waiting?. What is the hold up?. Please The sooner we find out about our new neighbor the sooner we all can put our names on the relocation list. Hopefully the funds are their for their PURPOSE?, and not used for other state or county gain To only make more geothermal possible?. So this would be bad news before Christmas to most folks who live around the current operation. But good news to start a new year and further this destruction of a Farming and family raising area. Now that this current operation of geothermal is reaching greater capacity would it be to much to ask them to stretch the relocation zone a bit?. The current 1 mile zone is not, but in other countries 2 miles for spray zones for pesticides on their GMO fields.( I vote for a 5 mile buffer from any and all geothermal current future development). We are three miles down wind and up hill and still see, smell, taste, and hear the pollution from this plant let alone another one. Any suggestions to some of my questions from the previous post by chance?> Who would actually be responsible for a current disaster at this ormat owned, state ran, geothermal experimentation currently here?. I would feel safer seeing it on record and being able to validate the correct conclusion.
RE: geothermal delayed - csgray - 12-10-2013
I live 2 miles from the ocean and can hear the waves on a regular basis, I am close to 3 miles from the hobby farm in HPP and I can hear the train whistle. If the terrain is right sound carries pretty far, especially when you are trying to sleep and there are no other background noises.
Carol
RE: geothermal delayed - Guest - 12-10-2013
No the sleeping is better lately because I think they banned night time drilling?. The sound carries through the lava tubes with a low constant drum beat baboom, baboom, baboom,. It use to sound like it was right under our house a few years back, that is how it sounded. Now 80% of our Ohia are dead and we still smell sickly rotten-egg gas at least once a month. Not saying all this is Geothermal, it could be is our worries?. No I don't need anyone to tell me that the trees dying are a natural cause like the 50's and 70's. This die-off is significant enough to deserve a study of it's own.