The Maui News - Weekender

Fire reached within 150 feet of main power plant

Maalaea facility provides 80% of fossil fuel production

- By LEE IMADA ■ Lee Imada can be reached at leeimada@mauinews.com. Managing Editor

Thursday’s wildfire got to within 150 feet of the power plant that produces more than 80 percent of the island’s fossil-fuel-generated power and hosts the control systems for industry scale renewable energy, according to Maui Electric Co.

Firefighte­rs had set up a defensive position as the fire approached the Maalaea Power Plant on Thursday, Fire Services Chief Rylan Yatsushiro said at a news conference.

MECO had reduced its power plant staffing to essential personnel only, about 50 workers, “in the interest of safety” and working with the Maui fire and police department­s, MECO spokeswoma­n Shayna Decker said on Friday. She said the fire burned to 150 feet of the power plant but did not cause damage to the facility.

If the power plant had to be evacuated or was damaged, MECO had “different contingenc­y plans in place for various scenarios should any of our generating facilities or assets be impacted,” she said. Decker did not specifical­ly address what would have happened if the 212-megawatt plant had been rendered inoperativ­e, but noted that the plant could be operated from alternativ­e locations.

For example, there are alternativ­e sites for system controls for privately generated, large-scale renewable power, such as wind and solar, at the Kahului dispatch office and at the Kahului Power Plant at Kahului Harbor, she said.

Decker noted that there are no control systems for smaller, less than 250-kilowatt private rooftop solar systems on homes and businesses.

MECO has a backup facility in Wailuku that could offer limited control of the generators at the Maalaea plant, she said.

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino said at a Thursday news conference that the Maalaea Power Plant could supply enough power on two of its generators. The 37.6-MW Kahului Power Plant also could fill in, he said.

In addition to the power plant, the fire threatened MECO’s 69-kilovolt transmissi­on lines that run from the plant, Decker said. This includes lines from Maalaea to the Kuihelani Substation, Maalaea to Kihei and Maalaea to Kula.

After assessment­s, MECO learned Thursday that the fire damaged parts of the Maalaea-to-Kihei transmissi­on line that crews were working to repair Friday. Electrical service currently was being supplied on a redundant line, the utility said.

While repairs were underway, MECO asked customers to conserve electricit­y Friday between the peakuse hours of 5 and 9 p.m., the utility said. MECO was confident that it would have enough generating capacity to meet evening peak demand, though conservati­on would ensure sufficient power.

Currently, no generating facilities have been directly affected by the fire, Decker said. Crews continued to take preventati­ve measures at the Maalaea plant with the fire not fully extinguish­ed.

She noted that the plant has firebreaks cut around the facility, water cannons, tanks and hose pumps. Staff members receive fire response training, as well.

“We take our responsibi­lity of providing safe and reliable service very seriously,” Decker said.

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