Connecting Our Hydro to the HELCO Grid

Richard Ha writes:

We just received approval to connect our hydro project to HELCO's grid. We could not be happier!

Screen Shot 2013-07-09 at 8.11.37 AM

We still need to work out the technical details. Normally, the Standard Interconnect does not allow the export of power back to the utility grid.

But we are not trying to get paid for the extra power. We want to save money by avoiding having to pay for special equipment.

The flume runs day and night and will generate twice as much electricity as we use. We want to give the excess to the grid, free-of-charge. Otherwise, it will be wasted – poho.

This event, connecting to the grid, is as momentous as deciding to move our farm to Pepe‘ekeo was many years ago. Plantations were closing down all over the state, and there were many options as for location. We could have moved to Waialua on O‘ahu. It would have been close to the market – O‘ahu.

But we made our final decision based on water. At Pepe‘ekeo, there were three streams and three springs. The water was free and it was going to be free for as long as we could see. 

And now the free water will generate electricity!

One thought on “Connecting Our Hydro to the HELCO Grid”

  1. Congratulations – been waiting for this moment for as long as I’ve been reading your blog…

    Rick

Comments are closed.