Hydroelectric Facility

Most people arriving at Kulaniapia don’t realize that we produce our own power. A quick look around confirms the fact that there are no power or telephone poles to interrupt the magnificent views. We have been producing our own power since we opened our doors in 1996. It was the only option we had available to us, as the cost to bring power all the way from downtown Hilo was just too expensive. As we researched the option of alternative energy, it became evident that not only was the technology readily available, but that it was relatively affordable. In the last 10 years, Kulaniapia has never been without electricity, nor have we ever had a shortfall of power.

Our original power system consisted of a diesel powered generator, a large battery bank to store electricity, and a couple of very powerful inverters to transform the electricity from low voltage to household 110 volts. Of course, this required the burning and storage of diesel fuel, along with the maintenance and noise associated with a combustion driven generator. The system however was efficient. The Auxillary Generator is located in back of the parking lot, so noise was never really an issue…. it was not however, the optimum system we could create given the fact that we have here at Kulaniapia, a natural and plentiful water resource.

In 1998 I began, what was to be the very challenging journey, of attempting to get a permit to build a private Hydroelectric facility on my property. After 3 years of intense permitting by Federal, State, and County regulators, and after a full Biological Survey of my portion of the Waiau River, I was granted a permit to build, install, and operate the Hydro Electric facility that now supplies all of our electrical needs at Kulaniapia. We have been fully operational with our Hydro system since January, 2006.

At the present time we produce 2 ½ Kw of power 24 hours a day. We are working on our system to double that output to 5 Kw which will more that supply our needs here at Kulaniapia. Our Hydro system supplies all our electricity, and our hot water, and even operates the Hot Tub in the Wailani Spa.