HECO - Undersea Cable RFP Update

[opihikao]

FYI:

RFP Update (September 28, 2012):

Since the October 14, 2011 filing of the Draft Request for Proposals for Renewable Energy and Undersea Cable System Projects Delivered to the Island of O'ahu in Docket No. 2011-0225, Hawaiian Electric has received a voluminous number of comments from the public related to the Draft RFP. In consideration of the many comments and suggestions received, Hawaiian Electric has prepared responses to these comments which may be of interest to prospective Bidders. Furthermore, in response to these comments, Hawaiian Electric has made extensive revisions to the Draft RFP and contract forms. Hawaiian Electric is continuing to finalize the RFP in preparation of filing the Proposed Final RFP with the PUC, which is now anticipated to occur sometime in the fourth quarter of 2012, however, Hawaiian Electric feels that it is important to share the responses to the comments received with prospective Bidders prior to submitting the Proposed Final RFP to the PUC to provide ample time for review. Since many of the responses to comments reference changes that will be included in the Proposed Final RFP, Hawaiian Electric is also making available a Revised Draft RFP containing edits incorporated since the October 14, 2011 Draft RFP filing for reference in connection with the comment responses.

http://www.heco.com/portal/site/heco/menuitem.508576f78baa14340b4c0610c510b1ca/?vgnextoid=96f632796ae53310VgnVCM10000005041aacRCRD&cpsextcurrchannel=1

This will affect the overall plan for alternate energy and Hawaii County needs to have a voice in this process. Please write your elected County officials, and make sure they are aware of this RFP proposal,prior to the PUC meeting here later this month regarding HELCO's 4% rate increase and Aina Koa Pono(2nd) proposal.

[Rob Tucker]

Interesting. Mahalo

[pahoated]

This is moving along faster than expected. This news is more about the Lanai and Molokai cable routes to Maui, then to Oahu. Those cable routes are fairly well established and there is a call for 200MW.

HELCO has said they won't have excess to export until the Pepeekeo biomass fuel plant, in about one year, and the west side geothermal plant, at least 3 years away, are up and running. Even then, excess generation would have to be added for the surplus to export and justify the cost of a very long cable from the BI to Maui.

This news is mostly about the cables between the other islands in the next few years.

[Carey]

I do not think that SB 367 has passed yet (appendix K - starting on pg 803 of the document above... This was passed onto the 2012 docket in 2011, I haven't heard anything more....

Does anyone have the update, as this is the legislation that would seemingly need to be in place in order for anything further on the cable.....

[pahoated]

It passed at the end of the last session.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/18140...ill-passes
Interisland underwater cable bill passes
May 03, 2012

[kalakoa]

As a pointless exercise: whenever you hear "$5B rail project", mentally add another $16B for the undersea power cables that will make the rail so "green".

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just use less power? Starting with all the electric water heaters...

[SBH]

quote:

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Originally posted by kalakoa

As a pointless exercise: whenever you hear "$5B rail project", mentally add another $16B for the undersea power cables that will make the rail so "green".

Wouldn't it be cheaper to just use less power? Starting with all the electric water heaters...

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That's 21 billion dollars divided by 1.3 million residents in Hawaii equals over $16,000 for every man, woman and child. Every person in the state could get free electricity for life if that money were spent on photovoltaics instead!

[kalakoa]

We'll all have solar power when HELCO figures out how to bill for the sunlight -- I'm sure there will be a tiered rate structure (conservation, ag, hot water, PV) so that it's "fair".

[ericlp]

quote:

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Originally posted by SBH

quote:

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Originally posted by kalakoa

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That's 21 billion dollars divided by 1.3 million residents in Hawaii equals over $16,000 for every man, woman and child. Every person in the state could get free electricity for life if that money were spent on photovoltaics instead!

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Tax Payers money at work! Isn't it grand? I agree! 16K for each house could spin the meters backwards so fast helco would have to take the diesel powered generators off line.

I'm kinda wondering. So are all these proposed windmills already up and producing power? If so where is all that power going "NOW"? What happens to electrical rates when the power is shipped off to hawaii. I wonder if Helco on the big island will have to raise their rates again when we the cable is finally hooked up?

Heck for that kinda money you'd think Oahu could have built an off shore island to set up windmills. Than no need for a cable.

[liskir]

quote:

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Originally posted by kalakoa
[
Wouldn't it be cheaper to just use less power?

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Most reasonable and logical thing ever said!!! Kudos Kalakoa!

"An idea whose time has come cannot be stopped" Dr. Ron Paul 2012