Lava Flow Enters Geothermal Plant Property

±«±Ê¶Ù´¡°Õ·¡:ÌýTwo wells at the plant have been covered with lava, but there’s been no release of the poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide.

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(AP) — Lava from the Kilauea volcano oozed over two wells at a geothermal power plant on Hawaii’s Big Island, but county officials say the flow has stopped.

Officials say there was no release of any dangerous hydrogen sulfide gas after lava crept over the plugged wells Sunday.

Some feared a breach if lava penetrated the well shafts that tap steam and hot water to make electricity. Both wells were closed and secured in anticipation of the lava flow.

This May 23, 2018, Satellite photo provided by DigitalGlobe shows lava coming out of fissures caused by Kilauea volcano, near Puna Geothermal Venture, a geothermal energy plant, in Pahoa, Hawaii. Wendy Stovall, a scientists with the U.S. Geological Stovall said lava spatter from one of the vents was forming a wall that was helping protect the geothermal plant. (Satellite Image ©2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP)
This May 23 satellite photo provided by DigitalGlobe shows lava coming out of fissures near Puna Geothermal Venture. AP
The plant, Puna Geothermal, lies on the southeast flank of the volcano, nestled between residential neighborhoods. It was shut down shortly after Kilauea began spewing lava May 3.

Puna Geothermal, owned by Nevada’s Ormat Technologies, was shut down shortly after Kilauea began spewing lava May 3. The plant harnesses heat and steam from the Earth’s core to spin turbines to generate power. A flammable gas called pentane is used as part of the process, though officials earlier this month removed 50,000 gallons of the gas from the plant to reduce the chance of explosions. They also capped the 11 wells at the property to try to prevent a breach.

Lava-filled fissures have torn apart chunks of the southeastern side of the Big Island over the past three weeks as Kilaeau has become more active.

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