Oahu outage update: majority restored, 1.5K remain without power

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – As of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, 1,500 Hawaiian Electric customers on Oʻahu remained without power following overnight winds and heavy rain from Hurricane Lowell, which also forced major road and park closures due to storm debris.

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HECO said crews completed assessments and most of the repairs in West Oʻahu, returning power to a majority of customers in Nānākuli, Waiʻanae and Mākaha.

Utility crews restored power to approximately 13,100 customers since Tuesday morning.

HECO said those without still without power, depending on the type of damage, may need to hire an electrician to make repairs to their equipment before the utility can safely reconnect service.

Widespread coastal power outages

The remaining outages are concentrated primarily along the Leeward and Windward coasts, where the most extreme weather conditions were experienced overnight.

Hurricane Lowell brought significant weather impacts to Oʻahu, including wind gusts of up to 81 mph in Mākaha and more than nine inches of rainfall in some areas.

Although Oʻahu remained on the edge of the storm’s path, tropical storm-force winds damaged utility infrastructure, HECO said. Ground, drone, and helicopter inspections were conducted throughout the day to assess the electric system and prioritize restoration efforts.

Repair work in West Oʻahu was delayed earlier Tuesday because road closures blocked crews from accessing affected areas.

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Hawaiian Electric officials noted that customers in Nānākuli, Waiʻanae, and Mākaha should prepare for possible overnight outages as on-site repairs continue.

Customers who are without power should check their main circuit breaker before reporting the outage to HECO’s Oʻahu Trouble Line online or at 1-855-304-1212.

Farrington Highway sand clearing and contraflow

Major coastal arteries and recreational areas require extensive cleanup before they can safely reopen.

High surf with waves up to 25 feet affected Oʻahu’s Leeward Coast, inundating coastal areas, forcing the closure of Farrington Highway in Waiʻanae, and causing flooding in parts of Mākaha.

State transportation crews worked Tuesday to remove sand and debris from Farrington Highway.

While officials reopened the highway to traffic in Nānākuli and Mākaha by 3 p.m., the eastbound lanes between Helelua Street and Lualualei Naval Road remain closed due to heavy sand. Traffic is currently being contraflowed in both directions through the westbound lanes.

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