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Monday, August 29, 2022

Ka‘ū News Briefs, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022

Even with such renewable energy sources as Tawhiri wind farm at South Point, Hawaiian Electric is asking customers to conserve power, as an oil and biofuel fired plant temporarily goes offline in Hamakua. Photo by Bob Martin

CONSERVE ELECTRICITY THIS WEEK FROM 5 P.M. TO 9 P.M. each day. That's the request issued by Hawaiian Electric on Monday, which send out the message for Hawai'i Island customers. The statement from the utility says, "The need to conserve is prompted by the unavailability of the island's largest independent power producer, Hamakua Energy Partners." Hamakua Energy Partners operates the largest independent power plant on the island that has been run in recent years on diesel, naphtha and biodiesel, providing nearly a quarter of the electricity used on the island.
     Hawaiian Electric also says, as winds have died down on the island this week, its wind resources over the next week "are forecast to be low."
Hamakua Energy Partners power plant is offline, prompting
Hawaiian Electric to ask customers to reduce energy use.

    
    Hawaiian Electric stated that it "expects to have enough generating capacity available to meet the early evening peak demand. Energy conservation by the public can help ensure sufficient power is available to meet demand, which increases in the early evening. Suggested steps include turning off or reducing use of lights and air conditioners, delaying showers, laundry and dishwashing activities, and going out for dinner or minimizing cooking until later in the evening."
    Hawaiian Electric said it is also taking these steps:
    Asking large commercial customers, including hotels and resorts, to voluntarily reduce energy use, especially heavy equipment and air conditioning;
    Accelerating repair and maintenance on its own units;
    Running units longer and on different schedules than usual to ensure sufficient generation is available; 
    Requesting maximum output available from Puna Geothermal Venture.
    Hamakua Energy Partners, "an independent power producer, normally supplies 60 megawatts of power, but is currently unavailable. It is not known when the units will be returned to service. In addition, Hawaiian Electric's Hill Plant Unit No. 5 is undergoing annual scheduled maintenance. It normally supplies 14 megawatts of power," said Hawaiian Electric.    
    "By reducing demand, Hawaiian Electric can ensure enough electricity is available and prevent the need to initiate rolling, 30-minute outages. If rolling outages are necessary, Hawaiian Electric will make every effort to use social media to notify customers in the affected areas in advance. Please check @HIElectricLight on Twitter for updates," stated Hawaiian Electric.

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EDITH KANAKA'OLE IS HONORED BY HER IMAGE ON QUARTERS TO BE RELEASED BY THE U.S. MINT.  She is one of five prominent women in American history to be depicted on quarters in 2023. The designs were unveiled on Monday. The others are Bessie Coleman, Jovita Idar, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Maria Tallchief.
    Sen. Mazie Hirono urged the inclusion of Kanaka'ole' image through the Mint’s American Women Quarters Program.
    Hirono said, “Edith Kanaka`ole was a prominent leader in the revitalization of Hawaiian language and culture—notably as a renowned kumu hula. She helped preserve and spread Hawaiian language, traditions, and history, contributing so much to the Native Hawaiian community, Hawai'i, and our nation. It is fitting that she be honored with this special recognition. I’m pleased to see the design for her commemorative quarter today, and I look forward to seeing these quarters put into circulation, so that people in every corner of our country can learn more about Edith Kanaka`ole and her remarkable life.”
    Hawaiian wording on the coin says, "E hō mai Ka 'ike," which means, "Grant us Knowledge."
    Authorized by the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, the American Women Quarters Program features coins with designs emblematic of the accomplishments and contributions of prominent American women.
    Contributions come from a wide spectrum of fields including, but not limited to, suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honored come from ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse backgrounds. As required by the law, no living person will be featured in the coin designs, and thus all the women honored must be deceased. The Mint is issuing five coins with different reverse designs annually over the four-year period from 2022 through 2025.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

TWELVE STUDENTS FROM A SISTER CITY IN OKINAWA VISITED HAWAI'I VOLCANOES and  returned home to Nago City, Japan safely on Sunday, after an action-packed week around the island. A statement from the office of Mayor Mitch Roth said, "The students came to the island through the County's Sister Cities program, which aims to bolster ties between Hawaiʻi County and other cities worldwide. Students were selected from four middle schools in Nago City and came as part of an ongoing exchange to sharpen their English-speaking skills by the opportunity to speak to native English speakers and learn about Hawaiian culture."
Students from Sister City of Nago, Japan visit Hawai'i
 Volcanoes National Park. Photo from the Mayor's Office
   The mayor said, "We are excited to have had the opportunity to join Hui Okinawa in welcoming such eager learners from Nago City. It's always great to share our island with guests, and it's even better when they're students who show a genuine interest in our rich host culture. Mahalo to all the individuals and organizations who came together to help make this exchange between the County and our Sister City a great success."  
    The program was created in partnership with Hui Okinawa, which has helped organize these student visits since 2012, including finding the families to host them. In addition to visiting Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, the students interacted with Hilo High School and West Hawaiʻi Explorations Academy middle school students, visited ʻImiloa, Parker Ranch, Amy Greenwell Botanical Garden and Huliheʻe They also picked coffee. Nago City students also learned the basics of hula dancing with Kumu Keala Ching and were treated to a canoe paddling.
    "Hui Okinawa has supported this Nago Study abroad program since its inception in 2012 and appreciates all those that coordinated the program, including Hawaii Community College, Tours by Charlie, and now the County of Hawaii," said Robert Kaneshiro, President of Hui Okinawa. "We also would like to thank the many host families, teachers, volunteers, and organizations that supported Nago's program."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.






Kaʻū High, Sept. 1 - for students.