The day pro-lifers have been anticipating for 50 years
Hawaii Household Bills Highest in USA
Rolling Blackouts Begin Sept 1: Power cost hike, supply crunch ahead as last Hawaii coal plant closes
KHON: … The Kapolei plant burns coal to make energy, meeting about 16% of the island’s peak electricity demand. It has been Oahu’s biggest single generator for three decades, but only for the next 69 days …
(BTW: HART's electric Rail will be coming online soon...)
Its closure on Sept. 1 will also eliminate 180 megawatts of power, about one-tenth of what Oahu needs. The original plan was to have a whole bunch of big renewable energy projects up and running just in time.
(But instead they’ve got excuses)
“One of the biggest challenges has been these unexpected global events with supply chain issues,” said Wayne Tanaka of the Sierra Club. “As a result, developers can’t necessarily fulfill some of the promises or commitments have been made over the past few months and years.”
Tariff issues also hung up solar panel imports. So how do we bridge the gap when the plug is pulled on coal?
“The lights are going to stay on, that’s our number one job,” Kelly said. “And on Sept. 1, there isn’t even going to be a blink.”
(IQ Test: Do you believe him?)
Kelly said that’s because HECO has rearranged the maintenance schedules to make sure all plants are up and running, creating what they call a “reserve margin” which is basically power they have on standby in case we need it. But how?
(Translation: There is no margin for error. The slightest glitch will trip everything.)
“Our oil powered units will be running more than they were before the shutdown of the coal plant,” Kelly said….
(IQ Test: Are you laughing?)
Coal right now costs 6 to 8 cents per kilowatt hour, but oil soared to 28 to 30 cents per kilowatt hour.
(Green Energy: They burn your money.)
Meaning oil-generated power costs as much as five times more than coal. That’s the ballpark for the steep difference on the 10% or so of the island’s power that once came from coal but will need to be made up for with oil — until more utility-scale renewables come online as soon as early 2023….
(If they can get the Muslim slaves back to work making solar panels in Xinjiang.)
“There obviously have to be some very tough decisions as to the kinds of sacrifices you may need to make to keep the lights on,” Tanaka said. “Especially in the places in the institutions that really need them.”
(Translation: There is no margin for error. The slightest glitch will trip everything.)
To that end, HECO has recently reached out to big power users and makers to plead for help.
“We work closely with the Board of Water Supply on when they run their pumping stations and that kind of thing,” Kelly said. “We work with the military; they have a number of generators that they use themselves. We also just talked to large businesses to see if we need them to say — ‘hey, can you reduce your use between five and nine? Can you shut off your chiller for an hour?’”…
(Translation: There is no margin for error. The slightest glitch will trip everything.)
SA Editorial: Backlog on solar permits
E: Tesla Megapacks are about to replace Hawaii’s last remaining coal plant
read … Rolling Blackouts Coming
HART Overpaid Parties Relocating For Rail By At Least $2.3 Million
CB: … The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has determined that it overpaid some of the businesses and tenants that were relocated along the rail line by at least $2.3 million.
Krista Lunzer, a consultant with the LTL-Schock Group who works as rail’s latest director of property acquisition and relocation, delivered that total as part of her latest briefing to the board Thursday.
Last month, Lunzer reported that the city and rail agency had also underpaid other parties displaced by the future rail line by at some $885,000. Widespread problems with HART’s relocation payments, including missing documents, math errors and “payments without justification,” were first discovered in 2017 and made public in 2018….
The overpayments were HART’s responsibility and the agency won’t be pursuing reimbursement, Lunzer said. It will, however, apply the overpaid amount to any future relocation claims, she added….
Aalto said is wouldn’t be necessary to name those responsible in public, and HART Executive Director Lori Kahikina assured him that all those involved have left the agency.
Last month, Lunzer told the board that HART had submitted its final report on its corrective actions on the relocation payments to the Federal Transit Administration on May 2.
The local rail agency has refused to provide a copy of that final report.
Such relocation overpayments were also the focus of a grand jury subpoena delivered to HART in early 2019….
read … HART Overpaid Parties Relocating For Rail By At Least $2.3 Million
Decision On Roe V. Wade Will Not End Abortion Rights In Hawaii
CB: … Under Hawaii law the state cannot deny or interfere with a woman’s right to choose or obtain an abortion of a nonviable fetus or an abortion “that is necessary” to protect the life or health of the female.
The law ensures that a woman’s access to abortion remains in effect, even though the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade when it determined in a 5-3-1 decision that abortion is longer a federal constitutional right….
read … Decision On Roe V. Wade Will Not End Abortion Rights In Hawaii
Gun Rights Advocates in Hawaii Await Second Supreme Court Decision
KITV: … Gun advocates gathered in downtown Honolulu to support the Supreme Court's ruling on a firearms law in New York.
"We have been waiting for it for a few months now. And we are extremely happy with the result. It's gonna change gun rights in Hawaii and across the country for the better for everybody," Andrew Namiki Roberts of Hawaii Firearms Coalition told KITV.
This week's ruling is expected to have a ripple effect. A Hilo man has a case against the state of Hawaii that made its way up to the Supreme Court. The 10 year old case, Young vs. Hawaii, is expected to follow the New York case's outcome….
"If people are going to be able to carry weapons openly, they got to be trained. Same kinds of training that law enforcement has. How to handle weapons properly, how not to escalate and incite violence, how to act and react when law enforcement is present," Senator Chris Lee added.
Will open carry or conceal carry be in Hawaii's future?
"I don't think they want a whole bunch of people wearing guns on a belt. I think they would rather have it concealed and quite honestly I would rather have my gun concealed than open. But I'm gonna take whatever they give me," Kainoa Kaku added….
SA: Hawaii among states with strict gun-permitting laws considering next steps
HNN: After high court’s decision, gun owners line up outside HPD for permits to carry weapons
read … Gun Rights Advocates in Hawaii Await Second Supreme Court Decision
Registered vendors see high demand for electric guns in Hawaii
KHON: … Electric guns became legal in the islands on Jan. 1, but it took some time for the counties to issue licenses to dealers. On Oahu, licenses were finally issued in late March.
Experts have said electric guns can retail for up to $450 depending on the model and they must come from registered vendors.
Oahu has 22 registered dealers, while Kauai has two and Maui has one.
One of those dealers is Pax Bello Security Solutions-Hawaii. It’s a training facility that only sells to its students. The demand has not slowed down yet.
“I want to say there’s been dozens and dozens of orders,” said Ed Howard of Pax Bellow Security Solutions-Hawaii.
Since January, Pax Bello has trained 200 students. In order to purchase an electric gun, an individual must be at least 21 years old and have no prior felony convictions. Vendors have to complete a background check and provide training.
“It’s pretty intensive. We do a six-hour class, it covers all the legalities, the uses of force and then there’s also a taser certified trainer that needs to be part of the training,” Howard said….
read … Registered vendors see high demand for electric guns in Hawaii
Lake Wilson Sale includes Repair Money
CB: … The state is almost ready to release funds to acquire the rundown Wahiawa dam, spillway and irrigation system from Dole Food Company — all that is needed now is Gov. David Ige’s signature.
But the acquisition comes with a $26 million catch: The state will need to pay to restore the 116-year-old system and bring it up to its own safety standards, a cost Dole — which has received several fines for its dam already — has said would put it out of business.
The system is set to eventually fall into the hands of the Agribusiness Development Corp., a government agency that also received millions of dollars for improving Waiahole Water System and Kekaha Ditch on Kauai….
read …Hawaii’s Crumbling Water Systems May Finally Be Getting Some Badly Needed Repair Money
Hawaii County Government cost commission sets priorities
HTH … County building codes and permitting processes top a priority list of six areas of local government the Cost of Government Commission plans to take a more in-depth look at….
read … Government cost commission sets priorities
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