Residents demand alternative to Wa'ahila power poles

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

•

HECO power-line proposal 1983 — An islandwide blackout on O'ahu triggers a series of studies on Hawaiian Electric Co.'s transmission system reliability. 1984 — Stone & Webster Management Consultants recommends construction of a southern transmission corridor in the 'Ewa area. This was the first in a series of studies that made this recommendation. 1985 — HECO begins planning and constructing the southern corridor eastward from Campbell Industrial Park. 1995 — A study is completed on alternatives to the Kamoku-Pukele 138-kilovolt transmission line to link the northern and southern corridors. 1998 — An environmental impact statement on the project is completed and sent to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for review. 1999 — The department rejects the study and requires additional information on impacts on dwarf koa trees. The department also requires HECO to respond to hundreds of inquiries from the public. 2000 — The land department accepts the utility's revised impact statement.

More than 300 people packed the State Capitol auditorium last night to testify on HECO's proposed 138,000-volt line. Many in the audience wore yellow HECO-issued T-shirts, although most did not testify.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources is being asked to approve a conservation district use permit that would allow HECO to erect utility poles and string 138-kilovolt wires on Wa'ahila Ridge, which rises between Manoa and Palolo valleys.

"Granting the (permit) for this project sets a bad precedent," said Mary Steiner, executive director of the Outdoor Circle's public policy affiliate, Na Leo Pohai. "Not only will the beauty of Wa'ahila Ridge be lost forever, but the implications of this decision threaten all ridges and natural land forms in the state."

The board did not indicate when it will rule on the application.

The $31-million Kamoku-Pukele transmission project would link underground lines from HECO's substation at the corner of Date and Kamoku streets to the Pukele substation at the back of Palolo Valley, a distance of 3.8 miles. To do so, the utility company plans to replace existing poles of about 40 feet high with poles as tall as 120 feet.

Opponents of the project included many environmental groups and Manoa residents who argued the transmission line isn't needed. They said the lines and large, steel poles would be an eyesore and the electrical field created by the high-voltage lines would cause health problems.

But HECO officials said the transmission line is needed to prevent major outages like the one in 1983 that left most of O'ahu in the dark. The project is expected to improve service reliability to 54 percent of the customers on O'ahu, HECO said.

Last night, except for HECO employees, most of the testimony came from opponents of the project. The testimony was expected to last well into the night.

Manoa resident and neighborhood board member Richard Fassler said he used to work for the state land department and he has "never witnessed the truly astounding degree of community opposition" to a project.

Fassler told the board that community attitude should be the most important factor in deciding the fate of an application.

"There is no denying that the vast majority of the residents of the area that will be directly impacted are fervently opposed to the company's plans," Fassler said. "This opposition should be the deciding factor in denying HECO the (application)."

Opposition to the project came from the area's elected legislators, City Council member and Mayor Jeremy Harris.

"Granting this permit is contrary to the community's objectives to protect and preserve O'ahu's natural environment from incompatible development and is not in the best interest of our community," Harris said.

But HECO officials say they are doing all they can to mitigate the visual impacts of the project. The poles will be painted so they blend into the ridge and native plants will be placed nearby to hide the poles.

HECO's director of project management Ken Morikami said only eight of the 20 poles would be in the conservation district, and they will replace existing poles. He acknowledged, however, that no plan will please everyone.

"We cannot site facilities based upon popular opinion or a beauty contest," he said as many in the audience groaned. "Instead, lines must be sited upon sound technical and economical principles and within existing governmental regulations."

HECO president and chief executive officer T. Michael May emphasized the importance of the project. He used the power crisis in California as an example.

"In this day and age of modern technology, it would be highly irresponsible for any utility company such as HECO to wait for an emergency to happen, then do the planning necessary to avoid a major blackout," May said. "The energy crisis that has been plaguing California is a grim warning of what can happen when arbitrary and capricious planning overrides reliable and proven planning methodologies."

Kaimuki resident Dan Carvalho supported HECO's plan, which he said would provide the island with a reliable supply of electricity.

"If we do not keep up with our infrastructure, it will affect the quality of life of every man, woman and child in this state," Carvalho said.

Many in the audience called for the power lines to be placed underground. But HECO officials said that would add about $15 million to the project's $31-million price tag, and increase the average resident's monthly bill by $4.

But Manoa resident Teri Durland said that would be a small price to pay to preserve the beauty of the ridge.

"HECO's attempts at camouflaging these gigantic towers must fail because static camouflage cannot adapt to the colors of Wa'ahila Ridge, which change with the seasons," she said."