The Maui News
Hawaiian Electric restoration crews have brought back online more than 60 percent of customers who have been without electricity since Tuesday and are continuing work to restore approximately 5,000 customers in West Maui and Upcountry, the utility said Sunday afternoon.
The customer outage count has not been adjusted downward to account for structures that have been damaged or destroyed, according to a news release.
In West Maui, Hawaiian Electric’s response efforts Sunday were focusing on restoring power to areas of Olowalu, Lahainaluna and remaining affected pockets of Kaanapali and Napili.
On Saturday, crews completed installation of a mobile substation at the Lahainaluna substation. The mobile unit was expected to help restore power Sunday to customers in the neighboring subdivision, which includes homes, schools and county water facilities.
In Upcountry, crews Sunday were also repairing neighborhood circuits and individual service lines, while verifying that customers’ electrical connecting points are safe to use so the remaining customers in these affected areas can be restored. On Saturday, crews completed the restoration of the Haleakala crater line, which is another essential portion of the island’s system.
Hawaiian Electric’s response efforts include more than 300 Hawaiian Electric employees and contractors, which includes employees from Oahu, Hawaii island, Molokai and Lanai. Employees and contractors are also providing additional response resources, including staffing, expertise, materials and equipment to expedite and respond to the restoration efforts on Maui.
Also on Saturday, Hawaiian Electric restored additional circuits in West Maui, picking up customers in the Kaanapali coast area, including the hotels, resorts and condominiums.
State and Maui County officials are working with participating hotels and resorts to provide rooms for displaced residents who have been in shelters since the fire.
Because there has been a tremendous amount of damage to the system at the distribution and substation level — these are the parts of the system that deliver electricity to communities and neighborhood — the system is still fragile, and the restoration must be done carefully to, above all, ensure the safety of the public and the company’s workers, HECO said.
After the power comes back on, there may be intermittent outages. All Maui customers are asked to be mindful of their use of electricity and conserve by limiting nonessential uses.
Customers affected in West Maui and parts of Upcountry have received notifications that bills and payment collections are currently on hold. For questions, contact customer service at (808) 871-9777.
Everyone is reminded to exercise caution as certain areas are brought back online and to stay away from downed power lines — at least 30 feet or more (at least two car lengths). If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and dangerous. Report downed lines immediately by calling Hawaiian Electric’s Maui Trouble Line at (808) 871-7777.
Updates are also available at hawaiianelectric.com/windstormresponse.
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