PGV had a plant failure today and a release.

[Kapoho Joe]

News at 11.

Fire department driving around checking air quality, rotten egg smell all over lower Leilani. Civil Defense phone stay busy. HFD recommend evacuate.

[Kapoho Joe]

PGV has a website that offers the latest monitoring data but that website has been down for months!

Just got through to Civil Defense and the plant went offline at 3:05pm and according to Mike K there was a release and now we are waiting for the Fire Department to return their air quality findings.

[Obie]

Looks like a minor almost non event !

[Kapoho Joe]

Per Civil Defense, HFD has readings of 0.0.15 PPM of H2S. PGV is still offline and no longer releasing. The rotten egg smell should linger for awhile and then dissipate.

[opihikao]

FYI*Source - Civil Defense / Danny Paleka)

This is a Civil Defense message:

This is a geothermal incident information message for Thursday September 29 at 5 PM.
At 3 PM today Puna Geothermal reported an unabated release of steam from one of its wells.
The steam has been contained and secured as of 4 PM.
The County Fire Department is on scene continuously monitoring the site and perimeter.
Based on all available data, the public is advised that no evacuation is necessary.
Again,
We will keep the public advised of any changes in the situation. If you have any questions, you may call 935-0031.


Additional information regarding PGV trip:

• HFD HAZMAT reported at 3:10 PM today that initial readings from PGV monitors at the PGV facility were 15.7 PPB
• Since then, when HFD HAZMAT got on scene at 3:38 PM, arrived at front gate and got “0” readings there, they then proceeded up to the plant and continued monitoring. All readings were at “0” readings.
• HFD HAZMAT then proceeded to go around the outside perimeter of facility downwind, down Kapoho Rd to HInalo street, got all negative, or “0” readings, last reading was at 3:53 PM.
• Dispatch at 4:04 received 2 calls of people complaining of strong smell of sulfur near Hinalo street.
• At 4:10 PM HFD HAZMAT went back and checked, again, they got negative or 0 readings.
• HFD Engine Company on scene at 3:19 PM.
• Both HAZMAT and Engine Company remain on scene at this time.
Per PGV:
• Isolation of H2S occurred within 1 hour, isolation is complete at this time.
• The noise was loud, it was a release valve opening up. The level of sound was about 70 decibels at time of release.
• it is unknown what caused the trip, technicians are looking into it at this time.

[opihikao]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kapoho Joe

PGV has a website that offers the latest monitoring data but that website has been down for months!

Just got through to Civil Defense and the plant went offline at 3:05pm and according to Mike K there was a release and now we are waiting for the Fire Department to return their air quality findings.

---

Exactly, KJ, they need to fix the website. So does Civil Defense, especially the "alerts" section.

http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/active-alerts/

Heard this on the scanner also, and no updated info thus far. FWIW.

JMO.

[Obie]

http://72.253.107.171/operatoraqm/

That site didn't work for you ?

[Obie]

At 3 PM today Puna Geothermal reported a release of steam from one of its wells. The situation was contained and secured as of 3:45 PM. The Hawaii County Fire Department remains on scene and is continuously monitoring the air quality at the site, the perimeter, and the surrounding community. Based on all available data, there is no threat to the public and no evacuation is necessary. Civil Defense is monitoring the situation and we will keep the public advised of any changes in the situation. If you have any questions, you may call 935-0031.

[opihikao]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Obie

http://72.253.107.171/operatoraqm/

That site didn't work for you ?

---

It takes forever to load, and doesn't connect...but mahalo. (Two Spam musubi for you, Obie. []) More info will be released as necessary. Of course, the internet is now flooded with the latest gagging, throwing up, headaches, and other symptoms people in the immediate area are experiencing. One even stated, "it's another lawsuit waiting to happen". Well, I gather as much.

Hope everyone is safe, including, and especially the employees on site handling this incident. A police/fire substation in the immediate area would be a great asset, given the location of the PGV plant. Perhaps PGV/ORMAT will contribute to such a facility in the near future.

JMO.

[Guest]

This report of a release or leak from the geothermal really is not that surprising for some of us. We smelled this geothermal rotten egg smell two days ago around the school. It was very strong between the Pahoa high school field and the 12 mile marker on the highway at roughly 10 a.m. My guess is that someone from my community had to call in and report this geothermal power plant leak, that's how most leaks are found these days.

Which geothermal well out of the many was leaking or releasing, where is it located?

Obie, no such thing as a geothermal minor or almost non-event, especially when the releases or leaks happen so close to children at schools. jmo