KIUC board of directors on Tuesday approved expenditures of up to $350,000 to conduct preliminary work for a project on the island's west side. According to a statement, the money will be used for preliminary surveying, engineering and permitting work for a proposed project that incorporates photovoltaic and pumped storage hydro technology.
KIUC has already started initial work on the project, installing gauging equipment and performing required diversion modifications. The investment follows an August decision by the utility's board to approve land lease and associated agreements with the state Department of Hawaiian Homelands and the Agribusiness Development Corp.
Should the project, which KIUC says could provide 15 percent of the island's energy needs, come to fruition, the utility will invest millions in infrastructure improvements and ongoing maintenance on publicly owned lands. They include, among others, the rehabilitation of the Puu Opae, Mana and Puu Lua reservoirs, as well as the repair and maintenance of the Kokee Ditch system.
“This partnership enables the state to provide proper stewardship for the river, while expanding agriculture, energy production and residential development on the west side,” KIUC Board Chair Allan Smith said in a statement.
KIUC said the pumped storage hydro project is will generate up to 25 megawatts of electricity, and reduce the utility’s carbon footprint by displacing 5 million gallons of diesel per year. An April decision by the Commission of Water Resources Management to restore appropriate stream flow in the Waimea River set the framework for KIUC's project.