HILO — Puna Geothermal Venture has access to its lava-locked site after a “pioneer road” was cut over the large lava channel from the recent Kilauea eruption.
Access was restored as of Dec. 14, though work is ongoing to improve the path, said Mike Kaleikini, senior director of Hawaii affairs for Ormat Technologies, PGV’s owner, on Thursday.
“Our guys can get to the site,” he said. “It’s not like a smooth grade.”
The hardened channel was about 250 yards to 300 yards across and about 60 feet tall at its highest point, he said.
Kaleikini said no “abnormal temperatures” were found during road construction. He said the rock was mostly packed down so crews didn’t have to dig down deep into the channel.
PGV needed road access to fully assess the status of the plant, sandwiched between the channel from fissure 8 and a string of other volcanic vents.
“It looks like the plant is in pretty good shape,” Kaleikini said.
PGV will know more after it restores power and water service.
He said PGV is talking with Hawaii Electric Light Co. about getting permission to place power lines across the channel alongside the road.
A county waterline that remains in service can be accessed by connecting near Highway 132, Kaleikini said.
“Once we get the power, it will be a big boost for us,” he said. “We can energize all the equipment.”
Kaleikini said he didn’t have an estimate for how long that could take.
It remains unclear when the plant, which has a capacity of 38 megawatts, will be able to restart.
Kaleikini previously estimated 18 months.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
Wow, the lower Puna residents have to wait six months for a road, but our governor declares emergency for PGV get to put their road it whenever they want.
PGV gonna get water too, but there is no water at Pohoiki, not even a water truck to rinse off the bacteria pond water kids are swimming in, and that is a real health emergency, like last week they said they were shutting Spencer beach park down when it’s water was out-of-service.
How and why do foreign companies rate more important and are regarded above the health and safety of the residents?
Because PGV is paying to regain their access, not waiting for the government to do it for them. And the PGV is very near to existing water. Pohoiki is miles down the hill and much harder to access. PGV was installed and running before the ignorant people who like to complain built right on the rift zone in zone one.
Triple the size of the PGV and the Big Island can stop importing fossil fuel for energy generation. No residences should have been allowed in zone one and the taxpayer shouldn’t have to bail them out.