PGV plans new well

[Opihikaobob]

Seems like a Christmas spoiler timed on Christmas day, at least that's how I see it. The article comes from today's Tribune , where it also adds that they will be drilling 24/7 sometime in January regardless of the County Council's ban on drilling at night passed in 2012.
They claim that a decrease in production on one of their 5 operating production wells necessitates this to bring the mega watts back up to 38.
Same ole same ole for the new year, that would be par for the course for a badly managed Ormat / Halliburton project that invariably has
uncontrolled hazardous releases , that somehow never are considered hazardous,and,remarkably I might add, they are able to measure surface emissions accurately with hand held devices , or on site fixed air monitors,even though they lost power and had no backup generators of their own - a power plant without back up emergency generators for on site emergency monitoring equipment? How amazing, to be able to do this monitoring even in the midst of hurricane force winds or downgraded hurricanes force winds,even when they are short on staff for a well advertised (the hurricanes approach was broadcast for what seemed like weeks before it's arrival) hurricane/tropical storm.

[snorkle]

HELCO has a cool pole and wire tree catching system. They could use it to spread the power throughout the Island!

[lavalava]

Ormat has failed to erect the sound wall they promised over a year ago. Now we have to go sleepless for another month? Time to start some direct action. Non violent civil disobedience is a great tool. Lets blockade the plant and refuse access to their workers until they agree to respect the county ordinance!

[kander]

Lavalava, The only reason they are just going to do what they want is that the county wont enforce their own rules.

Much to our dismay when we get to listen to the clanking of pipe, compressors and other various drilling equipment all night.

Look at it this way, we can take the night shift on punaweb.

[Opihikaobob]

Anyone know the most likely area they might drill? Seems like it would have to be on the existing site - yes?

[kalakoa]

Hooray for Ag zoning and 70db x 24 x 7!

[lavalava]

It is right next to the other wells. Gonna get loud for awhile... Time to practice my sax!!

[CraftyLady]

I've finally realized that their (PGV) talk about wanting to be a part of the cmmunity is just that - talk. How can someone who's part of the community pull this on us when there's so much stress for us all already. This makes me sick.

[JohnDW]

Yea, I think the timing is interesting: right after the announcement of NextEra Energy acquiring HELCO. Maybe Ormat has a different perspective of community? Civil disobedience around PGV would be a great test of Act 111 -- go for it!

Un Mojado Sin Licencia

[kalakoa]

Hadn't considered the NextEra angle, but it did seem strange that PGV would increase production while worrying that their "grid" would be cut by lava flow -- the Island of South Puna doesn't really "need" an extra 8MW.

Of course I leave some blame with County: a special noise limit is a poor substitute for proper R zoning. If the residents of Leilani see fit to sue someone, the money might be better spent rezoning the subdivision, then using that to claim that PGV's industrial use is inappropriate -- probably wouldn't work, but it would help drive the land-use discussion, because "spot zoning" and "pretend ag subdivisions" will keep causing problems like this.