One-month-a-year condition caused the split-second power disruptions The lights flickered repeatedly Monday afternoon around Lihu’e as stronger than normal Kona (south) wind moved trees in directions they don’t normally bend, striking power lines. Kaua’i Electric officials said it’s likely that
One-month-a-year condition caused the split-second power disruptions
The lights flickered repeatedly Monday afternoon around Lihu’e as stronger than normal Kona (south) wind moved trees in directions they don’t normally bend, striking power lines.
Kaua’i Electric officials said it’s likely that the one-month-a-year condition caused the split-second power disruptions that were just enough to momentarily darken buildings, shut off computers and silence telephones, as happened at least six times at The Garden Island building.
Dave Morgan, Kaua’i Electric vice president, whose own office in Lihu’e was also affected by yesterday’s wind-related problems, said the company’s crews were combing Lihu’e for culprit trees. But with the Kona conditions expected to continue at least today and tomorrow, more of the power glitches are anticipated.
The electric utility’s workers, banking on normal tradewinds, routinely trim trees back from power lines. It’s not always possible to trim trees according to the way Kona winds bend them, Morgan explained.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
