HONOLULU - Jun 4

Strained by higher temperatures and demands, Hawaiian Electric Co. says it is anticipating more power outages on Oahu as the islands head into the summer months.

"We expect to see more of these unplanned outages and emergency repairs," said Jose Dizon, spokesman and engineer for the company.

About 37,000 customers were left without power during an outage Thursday, after three generating units failed at a time when four units were out for scheduled maintenance.

Some of the company's generators are more than 50 years old and are struggling to meet the island's needs.

A new $130 million power plant planned for Campbell Industrial Park and still awaiting approval would provide some relief, Dizon said.

The problem now is more people building more houses and using more electricity, including adding air conditioners to existing homes, Dizon said.

"Our units are running harder and longer," he said. "Electricity use follows economic growth."

The number of Hawaiian Electric customers went up by nearly 5,000 between 2003 and 2005 to 291,580. And during 2005 alone, use went up 4.1 percent among residential users.

Jeff Mikulina, director of Sierra Club of Hawaii, said environmental groups hope Oahu steps up its use of renewable energy to fuel its needs.

Dizon said his company is moving toward new sources of energy and is looking at the possibility of using energy from the ocean or fuel cells.

The company is also promoting residents' installation of solar water heaters, for which there are both state and federal tax credits.

But with consumers using the same percentage of renewable energy as a decade ago, Mikulina said the switch to renewable energy isn't moving fast enough.

"We need bold commitments, like Kennedy's promise to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade," he said. "Right now, we're just running in place."

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Information from: The Honolulu Advertiser, http://www.thehonoluluadvertiser.com