Hawaiian Electric is currently dealing with widespread power outages in several leeward areas across the Hawaiian Islands, mainly due to weather conditions. According to KITV, nearly 1,500 customers were affected overnight, but the number of remaining outages has now been reduced to just four.
Hawaiian Electric spokesperson Darren Pai said, "The outage numbers listed on Hawaiian Electric’s online portal may not update in real time." On Wednesday, outages began around 4:20 p.m. affecting about 2,900 customers in Waimea, Kawaihae, and Kohala Ranch. Most had power restored by that evening, but around 950 customers, from Ouli Housing to Kohala Ranch, are still without power. Crews are still working to fix the issue, which is believed to be caused by a problem with a transmission line, as reported by Hawaii News Now.
Hawaiian Electric is reminding residents to be careful as power outages continue. "If a traffic light is out, drivers should treat it as an all-way stop." The company is doing safety inspections, especially in high wildfire risk areas. "Crews are required to do safety inspections before re-energizing lines for the remaining customers," Hawaiian Electric said. For updates or to report an issue, customers can use the Hawaiian Electric mobile app. The company may also shut off power if needed to prevent wildfires, as stated by KITV.
