Hawaiian Electric said the HECO power outage work on Hawaiʻi Island, in Maui County and on Oʻahu is being slowed by hurricane-force wind and rain, leaving customers on Hawaiʻi Island and in Maui County without power at least overnight. At 1:10 p.m., 3,027 customers were still out in Kaiola Place, Ohukai Road and Piʻilani.
More than 67,100 customers across the five islands Hawaiian Electric serves had power restored today, and more than 42,000 customers across its service territory were restored today as crews kept working around the clock. The company said outside help is expected as early as Tuesday.
Hawaiʻi Island roadways
Flooding and downed trees on Hawaiʻi Island roadways led the Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency to ask crews to stay off the roads, adding another barrier to repairs. Hawaiian Electric said restoration can resume only after damage assessments and repairs are completed and weather conditions improve enough for work to continue safely.
The company said it may temporarily turn off Hawaiian Electric customers on Hawaiʻi Island if load shedding is needed to maintain system stability and prevent damage to generating units. Those temporary outages would affect only Hawaiian Electric customers on Hawaiʻi Island, and they are separate from the Public Safety Power Shutoff program.
Puna Geothermal Venture and Hāmākua Energy Partners
Two of Hawaiʻi Island’s largest independent power producers, Puna Geothermal Venture and Hāmākua Energy Partners, cannot connect to the island’s grid. Hāwī Renewable Development and Pakini Nui are also unable to connect, leaving the system dependent on repairs and the added crews expected to arrive Tuesday.
For customers still without electricity, the immediate question is how quickly weather lets crews back on the roads and into damaged areas. Until that happens, the remaining outages stay tied to the storm, the blocked access, and the repairs that still have to be finished.
