HECO may shut off power to more Hawaii communities as high winds continue

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The Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) says it may shut off power to more communities in Hawaii as a high wind advisory continues, with about 5,000 West Maui customers already without power since Monday night. HECO said Tuesday that areas with high wildfire risk, including South Kohala on Hawaii Island and upcountry Maui, may lose power within the next day as part of the Public Safety Power Shutoff program.

Why it matters

Hawaii's electric grid is vulnerable to weather-related outages, and HECO has implemented the Public Safety Power Shutoff program to proactively turn off power in high-risk areas during extreme wind and dry conditions to prevent wildfires. These preemptive shutoffs can cause extended power outages for affected communities.

The details

HECO said the power was turned off Monday at around 8:30 p.m. after a weather-related outage impacted 8,800 customers in West Maui. As wind speeds increased to 80 miles per hour and humidity dropped, HECO decided to turn off power to its remaining circuits serving 1,200 West Maui customers. HECO said the power will remain off until weather conditions improve and crews can make necessary repairs.

• On Monday at around 8:30 p.m., HECO turned off power to 8,800 customers in West Maui.
• On Tuesday, HECO said areas with high wildfire risk, including South Kohala on Hawaii Island and upcountry Maui, may lose power within the next day.

What’s next

HECO said the power will remain off in West Maui until weather conditions improve and crews can make necessary repairs.