image of the Hamakua Energy power generation facility in Honokaʻa

• Hawaiian Electric is asking customers to conserve electricity from 5 to 9 p.m. starting tonight and each night this week in order to avoid rolling outages.
• Hamakua Energy Partners, the largest independent power producer on the Big Island, is currently unavailable.
• Also, Hawaiian Electric’s Hill Plant Unit No. 5 is undergoing annual scheduled maintenance, while wind resources are forecast to be low.
• Hawaiian Electric says it is requesting maximum output available from Puna Geothermal Venture.

From the Hawaiian Electric news release issued on Monday afternoon:

Hawaiian Electric is asking Hawaiʻi Island customers to conserve electricity from 5 to 9 p.m. starting tonight and each night this week.

The need to conserve is prompted by the unavailability of the island’s largest independent power producer, Hamakua Energy Partners. In addition, wind resources are forecast to be low.

Currently, Hawaiian Electric 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 is also taking these steps:

1.) Asking large commercial customers, including hotels and resorts, to voluntarily reduce energy use, especially heavy equipment and air conditioning;

2.) Accelerating repair and maintenance on its own units;

3.) Running units longer and on different schedules than usual to ensure sufficient generation is available

4.) 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.

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.