Up and Running at Koloa Substation - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative
Up and Running at Koloa Substation - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Up and Running at Koloa Substation - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative
The Truth About CFLs Dispelling common myths about compact fluorescents 6 KIUC CURRENTS Don’t let CFL myths keep you from saving money on lighting your home. A variety of CFL bulbs are available to meet your home’s needs. Just be sure to buy the right one for each fixture. CFLs cannot be used in threeway fixtures. Several manufacturers have developed threeway CFLs that provide performance equivalent to threeway incandescent lamps and operate in standard threeway sockets. Threeway CFLs are offered in a variety of wattage and light output combinations. A 12/23/29watt CFL is equivalent to a 50/100/150watt incandescent. A 14/19/32watt CFL is equivalent to a 40/75/150watt incandescent. Dimmable CFLs do not work with standard line dimmers. Not all dimmable CFLs are compatible with all dimmers, and they have different dimming ranges: some from 100 percent to 10 percent and some from 90 percent to 30 percent. Incandescent lamps frequently are dimmed with standard rotary, slide or touch electronic line dimmers. Dimmable CFLs that specify “true dimmability” are most likely to be compatible with rotary or programmable dimmers. Dimmable CFLs are hard to find. Dimmable CFLs are becoming more available as incandescent bulbs are phased out, though in smaller inventories than nondimmable CFLs. They will bring new options, such as incorporating the dimming control directly in the CFL base, eliminating the need for a threeway socket or wallmounted dimmer. CFLs do not last as long as advertised. The lifespan of a CFL is affected by its use. If installed properly, it offers energy savings and longer life than incandescent lamps. To avoid cracking the CFL glass, hold the bulb by its plastic base when screwing it into a lamp socket. Installing CFLs in fixtures not rated for its use likely will shorten the lamp’s life. Read packaging to determine suitability for the intended use. Switching on a CFL more frequently than its recommended average can shorten its life. Consumers who use CFLs with occupancy sensors should buy CFLs with the longest life rating. CFLs cause an annoying flicker. All lamps exhibit power frequency and line voltage flicker. Power frequency flicker is more noticeable in incandescent lamps; CFLs operate at a frequency several thousand times higher, causing no problem for consumers. Line voltage flicker—caused by large inductive loads, such as when furnace motors are connected to the same electrical circuit—may or may not cause CFLs to flicker. Not all CFLs have the same sensitivity or show an observable flicker in the same way. Everyone has different eye sensitivities. Some may notice it, while others do not. If a CFL flickers, try another brand. CFLs are too expensive, and savings in energy costs are outweighed by disposal costs. The cost of CFLs has come down significantly as higher consumer demand has driven increased production. New, more appealing lamp designs, consumer education, low energy consumption and increased retail access to a widening variety of CFL products has increased demand and the number of manufacturers. Today, CFLs contain only trace amounts of mercury, usually less than that found in a can of tuna. But it is still important to properly dispose of used or damaged CFLs. Find safe disposal avenues through waste management haulers and retailers, who often provide free disposal. CFLs do not fit in fans or candelabras. Manufacturers have developed CFL products of various wattages and designs that can be screwed directly into fans, candelabras, chandeliers and wall sconces. Typically, lamps in fans and candelabras are highly visible and consumers value the aesthetics of the lamp. Manufacturers now offer designs such as frosted glass, “flame” lamps, curled lamp tips and traditional incandescent shape. To learn more about lighting changes in 2012 and beyond, visit www.energysavers.gov/lighting. Source: NRECA
At the end of September, the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission accepted KIUC’s smart grid demonstration project. The KIUC project, which was filed in October 2010, got an “all clear” from both the Consumer Advocate and Hawai‘i PUC commissioners. “The project is transformative for the island of Kaua‘i,” the PUC said. “The commission also recognizes the additional benefits gained through access to study results from a wide range of national project participants through NRECA.” While acknowledging there are longterm uncertainties to the project, the Consumer Advocate gave its approval. The KIUC project will span five years. Installation of about 33,000 smart meters is expected to begin in early 2012, and last for two years. The final three years will be used for data gathering and analysis. KIUC began its community outreach for the project as early as 2009, using bill inserts, magazine articles, online information and more. In 2011, even before the project was approved, the coop held quarterly meetings to discuss the project with members, explaining the expected benefits for consumers: greater accuracy, fewer estimated bills, no meter readers on the property, billing date flexibility, a way to monitor energy consumption, improved power quality, faster outage restoration and potential energyefficiency savings for members. According to the PUC decision and order, the new infrastructure will allow the coop to conduct remote meter readings, detect outages at the household level, demonstrate the effectiveness of load control and demand response systems, and allow the utility to evaluate alternate rate designs. By Anne Barnes COOPERATIVE TECHNOLOGY PUC Approval for Moving Ahead Upgrading our electrical grid with smart meters and related technology can make our system more efficient and help integrate new smart appliances, electric cars, and other new and evolving technologies over the coming years. We are a small island grid. DECEMBER 2011 7
- Page 1 and 2: 3-Time Award-Winning December 2011
- Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Light Up A Life .
- Page 5: By Paul Daniels A Picture’s Worth
- Page 9 and 10: Get Smart About The Smart Grid Lear
- Page 11 and 12: Photos by Shelley Paik KIUC’s ele
- Page 13 and 14: California No-Crust Quiche and Then
- Page 15 and 16: KIUC’s program to generate at lea
- Page 17 and 18: Bissell completed his report with a
- Page 19 and 20: “As a member, you have a voice in
- Page 21 and 22: KIUC Honored for Community Service
- Page 23 and 24: In late October, groups of children
- Page 25 and 26: The KIUC Board of Directors appoint
- Page 27 and 28: New Member Guide
- Page 29 and 30: What is an Electric Cooperative? Se
- Page 31 and 32: • Diverse Energy Solutions. It is
- Page 33 and 34: National Rural Electric Cooperative
- Page 35 and 36: Kaua‘i Smart Grid Initiative The
- Page 37 and 38: Radio Frequency Comparison of Commo
- Page 39 and 40: How will the co-op read the meters?
- Page 41 and 42: Service Activations and Disconnects
- Page 43 and 44: Storm Sense Hurricane season runs f
- Page 45 and 46: Low-Income Home Energy Assistance P
- Page 47 and 48: Social Media Reaching More Members
- Page 49 and 50: 2012 Calendar of Student Art Judges
- Page 51 and 52: Electric cooperatives are different
- Page 53 and 54: Call it Cost-effective Economical P
- Page 55 and 56: Simple Pleasures Joe Fontanilla rec
At the end of September, the Hawai‘i Public<br />
Utilities Commission accepted KIUC’s smart grid<br />
demonstr<strong>at</strong>ion project. The KIUC project, which<br />
was filed in October 2010, got an “all clear” from<br />
both the Consumer Advoc<strong>at</strong>e <strong>and</strong> Hawai‘i PUC<br />
commissioners.<br />
“The project is transform<strong>at</strong>ive for the isl<strong>and</strong> of<br />
Kaua‘i,” the PUC said. “The commission also<br />
recognizes the additional benefits gained through<br />
access to study results from a wide range of<br />
n<strong>at</strong>ional project participants through NRECA.”<br />
While acknowledging there are longterm<br />
uncertainties to the project, the Consumer<br />
Advoc<strong>at</strong>e gave its approval.<br />
The KIUC project will span five years. Install<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
of about 33,000 smart meters is expected to begin<br />
in early 2012, <strong>and</strong> last for two years. The final<br />
three years will be used for d<strong>at</strong>a g<strong>at</strong>hering <strong>and</strong><br />
analysis.<br />
KIUC began its community outreach for the<br />
project as early as 2009, using bill inserts,<br />
magazine articles, online inform<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>and</strong> more.<br />
In 2011, even before the project was approved,<br />
the coop held quarterly meetings to discuss the<br />
project with members, explaining the expected<br />
benefits for consumers: gre<strong>at</strong>er accuracy, fewer<br />
estim<strong>at</strong>ed bills, no meter readers on the property,<br />
billing d<strong>at</strong>e flexibility, a way to monitor energy<br />
consumption, improved power quality, faster<br />
outage restor<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>and</strong> potential energyefficiency<br />
savings for members.<br />
According to the PUC decision <strong>and</strong> order, the new<br />
infrastructure will allow the coop to conduct remote<br />
meter readings, detect outages <strong>at</strong> the household<br />
level, demonstr<strong>at</strong>e the effectiveness of load control<br />
<strong>and</strong> dem<strong>and</strong> response systems, <strong>and</strong> allow the utility<br />
to evalu<strong>at</strong>e altern<strong>at</strong>e r<strong>at</strong>e designs.<br />
By Anne Barnes<br />
COOPERATIVE TECHNOLOGY<br />
PUC Approval for Moving Ahead<br />
<strong>Up</strong>grading our electrical grid with smart meters <strong>and</strong><br />
rel<strong>at</strong>ed technology can make our system more efficient<br />
<strong>and</strong> help integr<strong>at</strong>e new smart appliances, electric cars,<br />
<strong>and</strong> other new <strong>and</strong> evolving technologies over the coming<br />
years. We are a small isl<strong>and</strong> grid.<br />
DECEMBER 2011 7
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