KIUC restores 83% of Kauai power, issues safety reminders
KAUAI (HawaiiNewsNow) – Roughly 83% of Kaua‘i’s power was restored Tuesday as Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) continues restoration efforts after Hurricane Lowell.
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As of 4 p.m., KIUC said it restored power to about 300 customers since Monday.
The utility said pocket outages remain in portions of most communities in Moloaa and Waimea. Four troubleshooters, two on the east and two on the west, are working to restore power. Most of the outages are 20 meters or fewer. Troubleshooters are making incremental progress, but they must also respond to new calls from the emergency operations center.
KIUC said Kōke‘e remains without power and there is no restoration timeline at this time.
North Shore restoration update
KIUC and Hawaii Electric (HECO) crews continued repairing damaged lines, poles and electrical equipment on the North Shore Tuesday.
KIUC said initial restorations could take place as early as this evening or sometime Wednesday. Restorations will involve portions of Princeville and possibly portions of Hanalei.
Once restorations are complete, crews will continue to work to restore remaining members in Moloaa and Hanalei, which could take several days, the utility said.
The provider said the restoration estimates are based on current conditions, which could change if crews encounter additional damage, inclement weather or other unforeseen challenges.
Wainiha and Haena restoration will not be expected until late next week due to the extent of the damage to transmission infrastructure, KIUC said.
Mutual aid arrives
Nearly 100 personnel from HECO, Southern California Edison (SCE) and HMS Construction began arriving on Thursday to help KIUC’s line crews and contractors.
Roughly 250 KIUC personnel will be deployed to field operations in the restoration effort.
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KIUC said that, at Gov. Josh Green’s request, U.S. Air Force crews transported six SCE utility trucks that arrived Saturday. SCE personnel and crews assisted in power restoration efforts after Hurricane Lala.
“We are grateful for the assistance of Governor Josh Green in making arrangements for the arrival of these vital supplies, which will greatly accelerate our ability to resolve the remaining outages,” Bissell said.
Safety information
KIUC also announced it has suspended collections activities for delinquent accounts until storm recovery is complete.
Generators
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.
Traffic Advisory
Utility crews are working alongside the road during restoration efforts. Motorists are asked to drive with caution and slow down near crews working on the road shoulders.
Downed Lines
KIUC reminds the public to stay away from downed lines and always assume any downed line is energized. Downed lines and electrical hazards can be reported to (808) 246-4300, or 911 if there is imminent danger.
Daily updates
The utility said it will provide daily updates on progress and will share restoration plans and progress on a regular basis.
Updates will be provided online on KIUC’s website, social media and through the Everbridge notification system.
KIUC encourages North Shore members to update their contact information so they can receive the messages via phone, text and email.
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Hurricane Lowell resources from KIUC can be found here.
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