Creeping Lava Now Threatens Major Hawaiian Power Plant (gizmodo.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Gizmodo: Molten lava from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano has entered the grounds of Puna Geothermal Venture, a geothermal power plant that provides about 25 percent of the Big Island's power. The 38 Megawatt Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) power plant, which is located in the east rift zone of the Kilauea volcano, was shut down soon after the eruptions began on May 3. Yesterday, lava from Fissure 22 came to within 820 feet (250 meters) of the plant's nearest well pad before stalling, as Reuters reports. Overnight, workers managed to cap the 11th and final well at the facility in anticipation of the lava eventually reaching the facility, and to prevent the uncontrollable release of toxic gases. Mercifully, the lava flow stopped at a ridge near the PGV plant, but as the events of the past two weeks have shown, Mount Kilauea is in an extremely volatile state. The HCCD said Fissure 22 is producing most of the lava feeding the flows, so the situation near the power plant remains precarious.

Comments

To be expected

[Mal-2]

Geothermal power always has the liability that it sits on geologically active ground. Sure the lava will go some other direction most of the time, but the law of averages says it's always going to be a risk.

Re:To be expected

[ShanghaiBill]

But that has always worked for Iceland.

You can't directly compare Hawaii and Iceland. Iceland's volcanoes are more "felsic", which means they contain more silicates and are more viscous. So they flow more slowly and this makes them easier to divert by ditching, and cooling with hoses to create walls of solidified lava.

Kilauea in Hawaii is a classic "mafic" volcano. The lava is low in silicates, and less viscous. It flows like water, very rapidly. It also is harder to solidify. Kilauea's lava solidifies into basalt at about 985 C. Iceland's lava will solidify at about 1200 C, and will start to get gooey at even higher temps.