From the Hawaii Tribune-Herald:

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs could be getting into the geothermal business.

OHA’s Board of Trustees today will discuss whether to partner with Honolulu-based Innovations Development Group as it seeks to win a contract for providing up to 50 megawatts of geothermal electricity to island residents.

That deal would come with an investment of $1.25 million in the new power plant, assuming that the Huena Power Consortium, set up by IDG to bid on the next geothermal contract with the Hawaii Electric Light Co., beats the competition. As a part owner, OHA would get a share of the revenue that could exceed 20 percent of its investment, which would help fund programs for Native Hawaiians, said Patricia Madina Talbert, a legal adviser to IDG.

That would be in addition to the 20 percent of geothermal royalties OHA already receives.

“They would be a partner in developing their own resource,” she said. Read the full story.

And here’s the latest in other neighbor isle gov’t and politics:

Defendant sentenced Kilauea in goat killing

Kenoi resurrects waste-to-energy idea

AECOM requests $10K on top of $1.8M contract

Maui County proposes Kuhua Street improvements

Final segment of Puna’s iconic “Red Road” is paved

Molokai library turns page on Hawaii history

Photo courtesy Alaskan Dude.

—Chad Blair