NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The STATE OF HAWAII PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION (“commission”), pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes §§ 269-27.5 and 269-27.6(a), HEREBY GIVES NOTICE that it will hold a public hearing relating to the Application of Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (“HECO”), filed on December 9, 2016, for commission approval to construct a 46 kilovolt (“kV”) subtransmission line (the “Project”) both above and below the ground near the Ala Wai canal in the Waikiki area of Oahu. The public hearing will be held as follows:

Tuesday, April 4, 2017, at 6:00 p.m.
Ala Wai Elementary School Cafeteria
503 Kamoku Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96826

The Project was initiated at the request of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (“DLNR”) in order to accommodate the planned dredging of the Ala Wai canal scheduled to begin in June of 2018. Presently, HECO maintains two 46 kV lines that traverse across and under the Ala Wai canal near the Company’s Waikiki substation, and provide power for two of HECO’s three circuits in Waikiki (the Kamoku 43 circuit and the Pukele 5 circuit). These two 46 kV lines are currently buried in the canal at between approximately 16 to 8.5 feet below mean sea level. At these depths, the lines are vulnerable to damage from maintenance dredging operations. The scope of the Project includes: (1) construction of 46 kV cables underground and overhead from the Waikiki substation, under the Ala Wai canal, and two utility riser poles on the mauka side of the canal; and (2) the acquisition of easements, as needed, for the cables. The Project’s estimated cost is approximately $13.9 million.
Under the Project, the existing 46 kV lines in the canal will be removed and new 46 kV underground lines will be installed beneath the canal at a depth of approximately 50 feet below mean sea level, which should avoid interference with future dredging operations. In addition to relocating the 46 kV lines, the Project will replace the lines with higher standard polymer insulated cables, which are more cost effective and require less maintenance. The new location of the lines will also enhance maintenance accessibility by removing them from the canal floor and placing them in conduits drilled deep beneath the canal. Additionally, the Project involves a small amount of 46 kV line overhead construction, which consists of replacing two new utility riser poles in the existing line (the riser poles will be installed on University Avenue and Kamoku Street).
Copies of HECO’s Application are available for public review through the commission’s electronic Document Management System, accessible at http://dms.puc.hawaii.gov/dms/. In addition, copies of HECO’s Application are also available for review by contacting HECO [(808) 548-7311], the commission’s Honolulu Office [(808) 586-2020], or the Division of Consumer Advocacy [(808) 586-2800].
All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing to state their views on HECO’s Application. Statements may also be mailed to the Public Utilities Commission, 465 South King Street, Room No. 103, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, or emailed to Hawaii.PUC@hawaii.gov. All written statements should reference Docket No. 20160416. Special accommodations for persons with disabilities can be made if requested reasonably in advance by contacting the commission’s Honolulu Office.

____________________________
Randall Y. Iwase
Chair
(SA971650 3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3/17)~