Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 9, 1 Nowemapa 1984 — DPED Responds to OTEC Concerns [ARTICLE]

DPED Responds to OTEC Concerns

Editor's Note: Trustee Hayden Burgess in the September issue of Ka Wai Ola O OHA discussed several areas of eoneem regarding the location of the Oeean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) pilot plant at Kahe Point. Linda Kapuniai Rosehill, deputy director of the State Department of Planning and Eeonomie Development, asked for an opportunity to respond to these concerns. Following is her response. Concern: Is OTEC "experimental" and not suffi-

ciently tested to be placed at Kahe Point? . Answer: The closed-cycle OTEC system plant for Kahe has been the subject of extensive research, testing and development during the past decade. The U.S. Department of Energy has officially stated that OTEC is technologically ready for safe commercial operation. Concern: Would large amounts of fish eggs and larvae be sucked into the OTEC system? Answer: No. At-sea experiments conducted in Hawaiian waters have shown that Fish eggs, larvae and fish themselves are not drawn into the OTEC pipes. Concern: Would siltation pollute the reefs? Answer: No. OTEC pipes ean be designed so that siltation will not occur.

Concern: Will discharges of ammonia and ehlonne have an adverse effect on oeean life? Answer: No. The amounts of ammonia and chlorine discharged will be very small; an estimated one part ammonia and five parts chlorine per 180 million parts ofseawater. Environmental research shows no harmful effects at this level.

Concern: Will the OTEC structure have adverse effects on the currents along the coast? Answer: No. Extensive engineering studies have been conducted to assure minimum effects on the plant on existing currents. Concern: Will temperature change in the oceandue to OTEC discharge cause a rise in temperature whieh will attract sharks?

Answer: No. The warm and cold water discharges will be mixed so that the temperature of the discharge is about the same as the surrounding waters. Concern: Would a string of OTEC plants close off the oeean to residents of Hawaii? Answer: No. Only the one OTEC plant is under consideration at the present. Concern: Would a successful OTEC pilot plant at Kahe attract too many foreign investors? Answer: Probably not, since owners must be American citizens in order to qualify for Federal financial assistance for such plants.

In summary, I believe that OTEC is a technology uniquely suited for our island State, whieh is over 90 percent dependent on imported petroleum for its energy supplies. T o pay for the oil we use, over a hillion dollars leave the State annually; by producing our own energy locally, we would be freeing ourselves from a dependency upon an expensive and uncertain source of energy and keepingourdollars at hometocreatejob opportunities for people who wish to live in Hawaii. We appreciate the concerns raised by OHA and hope that we ean have the ehanee to discuss and answer al! these concerns as they arise. 'Mahalo.