Hawaii secures $18.5M in federal funds for power grid resilience

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – State officials announced Thursday that Hawaii has secured $18.5 million in federal funding to help safeguard the state’s electrical grids against wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.

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The federal support, provided through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grants Program and the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, will back a $25 million investment initiative.

The state is partnering with Hawaiian Electric and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HIEMA) to complete five major resilience projects between 2027 and 2029 on Maui, Oahu, and Hawaii Island.

“This partnership with Hawaiian Electric and FEMA will help the state become more resilient to weather events that increasingly pose a significant threat to energy infrastructure across Hawaiʻi’s six independent grids,” said Mark Glick, Hawaii’s Chief Energy Officer.

Critical Community Hubs Planned

A major component of the initiative is the establishment of five “Critical Customer Hubs” designed to keep key public facilities operating during extended blackouts. The hubs will allow vital emergency services—such as police and fire stations, medical clinics, pharmacies, and grocery stores—to maintain power even if the surrounding grid fails.

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The hubs are slated for two highly vulnerable regions:

Technology and Risk Upgrades

The funding will also support advanced technological upgrades to modernize grid management and hazard detection, including:

Colton Ching, Hawaiian Electric’s Senior Vice President of Planning and Technology, said the collaborative effort will result in “stronger, more resilient electric systems” and improved safety, including the ability to rapidly de-energize lines during emergencies.

HIEMA Administrator David Lopez emphasized that securing the federal funding represents a critical step in keeping essential services online. “By identifying risks to our energy infrastructure and strengthening our mitigation projects like the Critical Customer Hubs, we are ensuring that essential lifelines remain operational for our communities during and after extreme weather events,” Lopez said.

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