Business briefs

Advertiser Staff

Kalia Tower reopens Sept. 1

Hilton Hotels Corp. is nearing completion of its mold repair work at Kalia Tower in Waikiki, setting a Sept. 1 reopening date for most of the 453 rooms closed last July.

Rooms on six floors of the 25-story tower at Hilton Hawaiian Village will remained closed longer as they are converted to time-share units.

Grant to buy solar equipment

Maui Electric Co. will get $1.1 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to install 300 solar water heating systems on Moloka'i.

The grant, announced yesterday, is aimed at offsetting high residential energy costs. Maui Electric also will contribute $300,000 to the effort. Solar water systems are projected to cut annual residential electricity costs by 45 percent.