About 66% of Kauai’s power restored after Hurricane Lowell as more crews arrive to support KIUC

News admin September 11, 2026 0 Comments

About 66% of Kauai’s power restored after Hurricane Lowell as more crews arrive to support KIUC

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Approximately 66% of Kauaʻi had power restored Thursday as additional crews arrived to help further restoration efforts.

Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative said as of 4 p.m., it had restored more than 12,000 additional customers over the past 24 hours in portions of Anahola, Kapa‘a, Wailua, Līhu‘e, and Po‘ipū.

KIUC said repairs to circuits in Līhu‘e that feed the Judiciary complex, Kaua‘i Police Department and Rice Street are ongoing. It could be restored Thursday evening.

The utility said it focused on clearing vegetation and transmission line repairs from Kapa‘a to the north shore, the first critical step in the area’s restoration. Upon the transmission system’s repair, work can begin to address damage to the distribution system.

Nearly 100 personnel from Hawaiian Electric (HECO), Southern California Electric and HMS Construction arrived Thursday to help KIUC’s line crews and contractors.

KIUC said HECO crews will also begin damage assessments to the north shore distribution system Friday. There is no restoration timeframe estimate for the north shore, but it is dedicating 10 KIUC crews to the north shore.

Equipment is also coming from Hawaiʻi Island that was used after Hurricane Lala hit Ka’u.

KIUC announced that both Kauaʻi Veterans Memorial Hospital and Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital have been fully energized. Wilcox Medical Center transitioned back to electricity from KIUC Wednesday night after taking steps to maintain power during the hurricane.

“Before the hurricane’s expected impact, we activated our generators as a precaution to support uninterrupted patient care and prepare for any emergency needs,” said Jen Chahanovich, president and CEO of Wilcox Medical Center.

In addition to power restorations, crews completed repairs to the Līhuʻe Substation and conducted drone inspections of local distribution lines.

Transmission line repairs advance

Approximately 63% of the island’s major transmission lines are now repaired and energized. Restoring these lines remains a critical priority, as they are necessary to deliver power to local distribution circuits and individual properties, the utility said.

Under upcoming plans, crews will inspect distribution lines in Kōloa and begin clearing vegetation from transmission lines stretching from Kapaʻa to the north shore.

KIUC stated that restoration efforts will prioritize critical infrastructure and high-density population areas.

Mutual aid and safety notes

The first wave of crews from Hawaiian Electric arrived on Thursday to assist with damage and equipment assessments. Additional trucks and utility equipment are scheduled to arrive via barge on Friday.

KIUC also announced it has suspended collections activities for delinquent accounts until storm recovery is complete.

With many residents operating gas-powered generators, officials are urging extreme caution. Generators must be kept outdoors, at least 20 feet away from homes with exhaust pointed away from doors and windows, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Residents should never plug a generator directly into a household outlet due to the risk of back feeding utility lines, and generators should always be allowed to cool before refueling.