HECO hopes to proceed with McCully project
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
An environmental assessment on behalf of Hawaiian Electric Co. states that a 46-kilovolt electric line that would bring power to East O'ahu would not have a negative impact on the community.
The Public Utilities Commission will hold a public hearing Sept. 1 to discuss Hawaiian Electric Co.'s plan to bury nearly 3 miles of 46,000-volt lines under city streets in the McCully-Mo'ili'ili area. The hearing is at 6 p.m. in the State Capitol.
"Given the unique history of this project and concerns raised in a series of meetings with the community and advisory council last year, HECO pledged to voluntarily conduct this (assessment) to provide a formalized process to address these concerns and to keep this vital project on track," said Robbie Alm, HECO senior vice president for public affairs.
Sept. 1 hearing
The $55 million project in the McCully-Mo'ili'ili area is HECO's alternative to its failed attempt to install a $35 million transmission line along Wa'ahila Ridge. The Wa'ahila proposal was rejected by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources in 2002.
The McCully-Mo'ili'ili project faces opposition from many of the same groups that opposed the Wa'ahila Ridge proposal. The environmental watchdog group Life of the Land and several legislators from the area have been allowed to intervene in HECO's case before the Public Utilities Commission, which means they can take part in and provide testimony during official hearings related to the project.
Four community groups — Malama O Manoa, Ho'olaulima O Palolo, Kapahulu Neighbors and the Palolo Community Council — were given "participant" status in the case. They will be allowed to submit statements of position but cannot cross-examine or bring in witnesses of their own.
Henry Curtis, executive director of Life of the Land, said HECO has never demonstrated the need for the project or looked seriously at a widely used alternative: distributed generation, in which small power generation facilities are established near the area where power is needed.
"We look forward to a full opportunity to examine all the issues at the PUC," Curtis said. "The PUC will be the last discretionary permit and we think they will turn it down."
The assessment will now be submitted by the PUC to the state Office of Environmental Quality Control for publication in its bimonthly bulletin, followed by a 30-day period for public comment.
HECO applied last November for approval to put in the line.
Paying for the project will raise monthly residential bills on O'ahu by as much as $1 a month for about 40 years.
The company hopes to complete construction of the first phase by mid-2007 and the second phase in early 2009.
The assessment is part of HECO's overall PUC application. After a Sept. 1 public hearing, there will be a series of additional hearings through December. Then, HECO will have five months to respond to requests for more information. A decision by the PUC is expected next year.
Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.
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