Posted on: Tuesday, July 8, 2003

Few attend HECO's Kaimuki meeting

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

Responding to a community call for a location closer to the areas affected, Hawaiian Electric Co. held a fourth and final public meeting last night to detail plans for its East O'ahu Transmission Project.

But because the presentation at Kaimuki High School's auditorium was identical to three previous meetings held over the past two weeks — with an overview followed by a question-and-answer session — critics said this meeting was redundant, and many chose not to attend.

"We don't want to be put through the puppet show anymore," Michelle Matson, a member of the Diamond Head/Kapahulu/St. Louis Heights Neighborhood Board, said before the meeting. "There is a contingent that feels we are wasting our time again. Another contingent feels if we don't go, HECO will use that by saying so few people attended because there is no objection to their plans."

Palolo resident Ivan Hoe, one of about two dozen people who showed up last night, said HECO should have held the Kaimuki meeting first instead of going to outlying locations.

"And they haven't shown us the need for these lines yet," Hoe said.

In a 45-minute presentation, HECO detailed its plans for either a 138,000-volt underground transmission line to connect the Kamoku and Pukele substations or two 46,000-volt lines through the streets of Honolulu. The new line would back up HECO's electrical system.

The line through Palolo would cost up to $122 million and raise the average monthly residential bill by as much as $2 a month. The 46,000-volt alternatives would cost up to $59 million and increase monthly residential bills by as much as $1 a month if built.

A Community Advisory Committee that includes residents, businesses and Wa'ahila opponents has been formed by HECO to create a report on public concerns. The committee's next meeting will be at 7 p.m. July 28 at the Blaisdell Center meeting hall.

HECO spokesman Peter Rosegg said that last night's meeting was held to reach out to people who could not attend the previous presentations.

"We heard from some people that a meeting should have been held closer to the areas potentially impacted in the short-term by construction," Rosegg said. "Now some of the very people who asked for an added meeting for those who 'could not/did not' attend the first three want to deprive those who have not seen the presentation from seeing it and making their own decisions about the alternatives."

State Sen. Les Ihara Jr., D-9th (Kapahulu, Kaimuki, Palolo), said he had asked for the meeting along with other area legislators, but withdrew his support when he found out it was simply a repeat of the same presentation.

Ihara said he plans to meet Friday with Robbie Alm, HECO senior vice president, to set up community forums to address the issues of need, neighborhood construction and safety.