Hawaiian Electric restoration efforts continue following West Maui fire

Hawaiian Electric is continuing restoration work to rebuild portions of the electric system in Lahaina in an effort to ensure safe and reliable power to all West Maui customers following the August 2023 wildfires. Ongoing restoration efforts include the rebuilding of transmission and distribution lines along former routes in the Lahaina area with the installation of new interim steel poles and electrical equipment.

“The company looks forward to working with the Lahaina community as well as federal, state and county officials on community-driven long-term plans for Lahaina that would include the potential to underground electric lines in the future,” according to a company update.

According to the company, the interim overhead infrastructure will help to maintain reliable service as it provides back-up routes of power to Lahaina and other parts of West Maui, including neighborhoods in Puʻukoliʻi, Māhinahina, Nāpili, Kā‘anapali, and Kapalua. 

Until the repairs of this transmission line and related distribution infrastructure are anticipated to be completed in 2024, West Maui customers may experience extended outages because power cannot currently be rerouted from other circuits, according to the announcement.

The work involves the installation of about 70 new steel poles that are rated for current regulated utility safety standards. The steel poles are replacing wood poles that were part of the former transmission and distribution route in the area. Some of the original wood poles on this route were damaged during the August 2023 windstorm and wildfires.

Currently, crews are also continuing repairs to restore power to less than 10 customers in Lahaina. All other properties that can have power restored have been brought back online in West Maui, according to the update.

The company reports that work was recently completed on the construction of underground electrical infrastructure to support the installation of a substation transformer at the company’s Lahainaluna Substation mauka of the Lahaina Bypass along Lahainaluna Road.

This work helped to improve service reliability to the neighborhoods in Lahainaluna, Puamana, and Launiupoko to Olowalu area, as these areas were formerly supported by the Lahaina Substation, which was destroyed during the wildfires.

The work also enabled the removal of one of two mobile substations that were installed to temporarily serve these areas.