Posted on: Monday, November 11, 2002

Big Island blackouts averted

Advertiser Staff

HILO, Hawai'i — A combination of additional power sources from Puna and Kona and consumer conservation averted threatened rolling blackouts on the Big Island Saturday and yesterday.

Hawai'i Electric Light Co. officials shut down power for more than two hours Friday afternoon in North Kona and later Ka'u when the demand exceeded supply. But blackouts were avoided Friday evening

On Saturday, an additional five megawatts of geothermal power were brought on line in Puna and two diesel units were reactivated in Kona, producing another five megawatts. However, the power problems are expected to continue this week while boiler repairs remain on a major generating unit in Haina.