Success Stories for Hawaii
KIUC
Kept Power On as Dam Break Flooded Island: When a dam broke March 14, 2006,
on the Hawaiian Island of Kaua'i, sending millions of gallons of water surging
across already rain-sodden lands, radio stations were lauded for round-the-clock
emergency broadcasts that helped keep the human toll low.
But the stations gave the real credit to the Kaua'i Island Utility Co-op (HI-01) (Kaua'i) for keeping the power on as water cascaded from the broken Ka Loko Reservoir Dam near Kilauea.
Hawaii Media President George Hochman, who operates two stations, said he is grateful that the co-op was able to keep the electricity flowing to the island's broadcast towers in Lihue and on a ridge halfway between Lihue and Poipu, as well as on the North Shore where flooding was at its worst. The co-op is headquartered in Lihue.
Though power was interrupted for several hours, it could have been worse had it not been for valiant efforts by the Kauai'i line crews, he said.
Samisoni Tupou, construction coordinator/inspector at Kaua'i, said the racing floodwaters that swept away several houses and washed out major roads also toppled a transmission pole on the main feeder line to the island's north shore.
"About 10,000 meters depend on this line," said Tupou.
"So we knew we would do whatever it took to get it back."
He said that crews using boats and trudging through debris-strewn mud and backwater were able to restore the circuit by rerouting the line through another substation.
Getting to that substation was no small order because the main road had been washed out by the 150-yard wave of water that swepted across a stretch of Kuhio Highway. Tupou had to take an alternate cross-country route to complete the repair.
Tupou said co-op crews worked constantly for several days. "In some areas we are shoring up repairs and in other sections of line, we are making replacements. It's been raining right and left through all of this," he said.
No more mudslides are expected if the rains hold off.
Meanwhile, search and rescue operations on the island's North Shore had discovered three bodies. Four people are missing.
Compliments of NRECA's "Electric Co-op TODAY", March 24, 2006 issue, Volume 12, Number 12.
April 2006