PV project will cut Maui County’s electrical expenses

Maui County said it will significantly cut its power bill with the installation of photovoltaic panels on 25 government buildings.

The county awarded two contracts to teams of bidders to supply a minimum of 2.15 megawatts of generating capacity. The project developers will own the PV systems and sell the electricity to the county over the next 20 years at a rate that is about half what the county is paying Maui Electric Co.

Barring any interconnection issues with MECO, the county expects at least 1,000 PV panels can be installed before the end of the year. The county hopes to install more than 8,000 panels over the lifetime of the project.

The county will pay 14.7 cents per kilowatt-hour in the first year under the larger of the two contracts with an annual 2.5 percent escalator that will boost the rate to 23.5 cents per kilowatt-hour after 20 years.

ON THE MOVE

Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel has hired two attorneys:
» Brett R. Tobin concentrates on civil and criminal litigation and has worked on real estate contract and commercial disputes, government investigations, criminal defense and intellectual property disputes.
» Randall C. Whattoff concentrates on high-stakes business litigation and has worked in all phases of litigation and arbitration.

The U.S. Department of Commerce gave an export achievement award to CBI Polymers Inc. on Aug. 1. The company was recognized for its philanthropic work to provide aid in the cleanup efforts of Hungary’s toxic mud spill last year as well as the nuclear catastrophe in Japan.

Kiewit Building Group Inc., a general contracting and management company, has awarded scholarships totaling $7,500 to graduates Amanda Chung Yin So, Nicholas Akiona and Brent Nakagawa. They were selected from a pool of 70 applicants.

The Pacific Beach Hotel in Waikiki has appointed Ed Saunders as director of rooms. He has 25 years of hotel management experience in Hawaii.