Lightning Named as Cause of Molokaʻi Power Outage

By Wendy Osher

Lightning over Kahului, 7/29/13. File photo courtesy Bobbi-Lin Kalama.

A lightning strike is to blame for a power outage on Molokaʻi that knocked out power to an estimated 632 customers overnight, Maui Electric Company spokesperson Kauʻi Awai-Dickson said.

The incident was reported shortly after midnight when lightning struck and blew two lightning arrestors on a transformer in Maunaloa, affecting hundreds of customers on the West End of the island, said Awai-Dickson.

An estimated 566 customers had their power restored by 5:25 a.m., with remaining customers brought back online by 7:15 a.m., the company said.

A separate power outage was reported at 11:47 a.m. today, affecting an estimated 1,462 customers on the East End of the island.

Power was restored at 1:16 p.m., and the cause of the outage remains under investigation, according to Maui Electric Co.