HECO activates Public Safety Power Shutoff in Maui, crews respond to storm-related outages

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaiian Electric has activated its Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program and proactively shut off power in Pukalani, Maui, due to high exposure to wildfire risk.

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“We sincerely apologize for the disruption. We have activated our PSPS program as a last line of defense to protect lives and reduce the risk of a wildfire. We will continue to monitor conditions closely and restore power as soon as we can safely do so,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric executive incident commander.

The criteria for determining a PSPS are persistent drought conditions, wind gusts of 45 miles per hour or higher, and relative humidity below 45%.

HECO said crews are also inspecting damage and making repairs caused by Hurricane Nolo. As Nolo moves further away from the state, taking rainfall with it, drier air is moving in while the pressure gradient remains high. Wind gusts also tend to dry out vegetation, which increases the risk of wildfire.

As of 2 p.m. Sunday:

Maui County: About 11,350 customers remain without power in West Maui, Haiku and Upcountry. The majority of the outages are in West Maui with about 10,000 impacted customers. These outages were not a PSPS. An additional 485 customers in the Pukalani area are affected by a PSPS outage.

Oahu: About 830 customers are without power in the Kahuku area. Power to most customers is expected to be restored by the end of Sunday.

Hawaii Island: About 700 customers are without power, mostly in the Kau and Hamakua areas. Power to most customers is expected to be restored by the end of Sunday.

The county of Maui opened the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center’s meeting room in Pukalani as a temporary service site from 4:30 to 10 p.m. to support residents affected by the ongoing power outages.

The site supports residents through prolonged power outages, road closures or PSPS. There will be charging stations for personal electronics and Starlink internet service.

Residents are asked ot bring their own food, water, charging cables, medications and other essential items. Pets are allowed but must be in crates. Starlink internet service will also be available.

HECO is asking West Maui customers who are without power to prepare for an overnight outage. Crews are completing inspections and making repairs in areas where work can be performed safely. The earliest power can be restored is Monday at noon.

If needed, Hawaiian Electric may proactively turn off power in other communities with high exposure to wildfire risk, and urged residents to initiate their own emergency plans and prepare for the possibility of extended outages.

The utility said areas most at risk of a PSPS are Central and West Maui, Mauna Lani and Waikoloa on Hawaii Island, and in West Oahu.

Weather conditions may change, and HECO said customers in PSPS areas should prepare for extended outages. Even if high winds are not present in certain neighborhoods, a PSPS may be triggered if conditions are present on another part of the circuit.

HECO has 16 teams of spotters deployed on Hawaii Island, Maui and Oahu to provide situational awareness and provide reports in high-risk areas.

Read more First Alert Forecast: Winds ease as Nolo moves away, more showers midweek

On Saturday, HECO was previously under a PSPS watch condition.

HECO is also implementing its own safety measures such as protective devices and settings, which may result in frequent and longer outages while inspections and repairs are performed.

More information on PSPS can be found by calling HECO’s PSPS hotline at 1-844-483-8666, or online here.

Crews on standby to respond to outages

Hawaii Electric said it has employees, contractors and support staff deployed across Hawaii Island, Oahu and Maui County.

The utility says crews stand ready to assess damage and make repairs once conditions are safe, but warns saturated ground increases the risk of falling trees and urges residents to prepare for extended outages.

Hawaiian Electric crews who had been assisting with restoration efforts on Kauai are back on their respective islands and are available for storm response.

The company is working to keep outage maps and social media updated with information as it becomes available.

Because of the dynamic nature of the storm system, Hawaiian Electric said that outage information represents a snapshot in time and may change as conditions progress.

Check hawaiianelectric.com or the company’s mobile app for the latest outage information.

Estimated time of restoration may not be available until the storm passes and damage assessments can be completed. Customers who cannot find their outage on the map can report it online or by calling the company’s trouble lines:

Hawaiian Electric’s priorities for restoration emphasize safety and essential community services. If outages occur, restoration efforts will take place in a manner designed to restore power to the greatest number of customers first.

Damage assessments must be completed before repairs and restoration can begin.

Assessments, especially in remote areas, can take several days depending on the severity of damage, accessibility of roads and availability of helicopters. While the company does use drones, there are line-of-sight limitations.

Safety reminders

Even when winds have subsided, conditions can be dangerous. The company is urging customers in storm-impacted areas to take the following safety precautions:

Call the Trouble Line for the appropriate island to report any downed power lines, and the company will send personnel out to inspect the damage when it is safe to do so.

Customers should call 911 or our Trouble Lines to report dangerous situations, such as downed power lines or sparking electrical equipment. Keep phone lines open for emergencies.

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Visit hawaiianelectric.com/electricalsafety for more safety tips.