Posted at 2:14 p.m., Friday, November 8, 2002
Big Island hit by rolling blackouts
By Hugh Clark
Advertiser Staff Writer
The blackouts, occurring about an hour at a time, are scheduled to affect Ka'u and then South Kona later today. Further blackouts were anticipated by company officials.
HELCO has run into problems generating sufficient electricity since April, when power supplier Puna Geothermal Venture's operations were disabled by an equipment malfunction.
The company also lost power from a second independent power producer, Hamakua Energy Partners, due to plant repairs.
HELCO warned yesterday the rolling blackouts could last through the weekend while repairs are conducted at Hamakua Energy's Haina plant.
HELCO requires a maximum of 162 megawatts daily during the peak demand period from 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Even after asking larger users such as West Hawai‘i hotels to conserve, HELCO could not keep the system operating.
HELCO serves 65,000 customers.
