Hoku energizes Pocatello plant

POCATELLO — The lights are on and everyone at Hoku is home.

Hoku Materials, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hoku Corp., was formed to manufacture, market and sell polysilicon for photovoltaic modules.

The Pocatello company announced last week that it has connected its new polysilicon plant to Idaho Power’s substation and is receiving permanent power as the company continues to commission the site.

“Connecting to the 82-megawatt Idaho Power grid-connected substation is a critical milestone,” Hoku Corporation’s CEO Scott Paul said. “The power infrastructure for the plant is complete, and we now have continuous electricity.”

Previously Hoku had been using temporary power and portable generators for localized construction and commissioning activities.

“Connecting to the substation enables us to complete systemwide commissioning activities, including our instruments and control systems, and power-hungry equipment like pumps, compressors, and our polysilicon deposition reactors,” Paul said. “These reactors are the largest consumers of power on-site, requiring very large loads of continuous power — they cannot be run on temporary power or portable generators.”

There are a number of items that need to be completed by Hoku’s operators, engineers, and construction contractors before it can bring chemicals on-site and begin the continuous production of polysilicon, according to the CEO. These items include finalizing internal safety checks, and completing the installation of various fire protection, alarm, and safety systems.

“However, with the addition of permanent power, we are able to start up the plant,” Paul said.

Hoku Corporation is a solar energy products and services company with three business units: Hoku Materials,
Hoku Solar, and Tianwei Solar USA, Inc

Hoku Materials manufactures, markets and sells polysilicon for the solar market from its plant in Pocatello.
Hoku Solar markets and   installs turnkey photovoltaic systems and provides related services. Tianwei Solar USA markets and sells photovoltaic modules manufactured by Tianwei New Energy. Hoku Corporation is a majority owned subsidiary of Tianwei New Energy Holdings Co., Ltd.

For more information, visit  www.hokucorp.com 

Sunday, November 27, 2011
By Journal Staff

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