Hawaiian Electric urges customers to prepare for impacts from rains, winds

Hawaiian Electric urges customers to prepare for rains and winds impacting Oʻahu, Maui County and Hawaiʻi island on Friday and Saturday.

During severe weather, strong winds can blow trees or debris into power lines, causing outages and damaging electrical equipment. Falling trees can hit utility poles or overhead lines, knocking lines down or causing poles to lean, which may result in outages, according to the company. Heavy rains can also lead to flooding of underground cables or other equipment.

“We take the threat of severe weather seriously and we want to reassure our customers that we’re ready to respond,” said Darren Pai, Hawaiian Electric spokesman in a news release. “We ask that they check their preparations at their homes and businesses in case they experience any outages or other emergencies.”

Due to our enhanced wildfire safety protocols, outages in areas designated by the state as at-risk for wildfires may experience longer outages, the company reports. It may be necessary to conduct visual or aerial inspections to ensure that power may be safely restored.

HECO reminds the public that if they see a downed power line, they should assume it is energized and dangerous. Stay at least 30 feet—three car lengths—or more away from all power lines. Call Hawaiian Electric’s Trouble Line at the numbers listed below or for emergency assistance call 911.

How power is restored following severe weather

When power goes out, HECO follows an overall plan that calls for restoring service to the largest number of customers safely and as quickly as possible.

• HECO starts by repairing any damage to power plants and the power lines that carry electricity from plants to the local substations.
• Priority is given to restoring power to critical facilities such as hospitals, the Board of Water Supply pumping sites, wastewater plants, military facilities and the airports.
• At the same time, HECO works to return service to the largest number of customers in the shortest amount of time.
• From here, HECO repairs the infrastructure serving smaller groups and neighborhoods, converging on the hardest hit areas until every customer’s power is restored.

What the public can do to be prepared:

• Check emergency supplies and keep a battery-operated radio on hand with a fresh supply of batteries.
• Record your Hawaiian Electric account in a location that will be readily available. By knowing your account number, you will be able to quickly access your account online at hawaiianelectric.com, using your computer or mobile device. Also have our Trouble Line numbers handy, in the event that you need to call:
  • Oʻahu: 1-855-304-1212
  • Maui: 808-871-7777
  • Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi: 1-877-871-8461 (toll free)
• For updates and alerts, follow Hawaiian Electric on Facebook (facebook.com/HawaiianElectric), X (formerly Twitter) (Oʻahu: twitter.com/hwnelectric; Maui County: https://twitter.com/MauiElectric; Hawaiʻi island:https://twitter.com/HIElectricLight or via our free mobile app (available on Apple App and Google Play stores).
• If someone is dependent on electrically powered, life-sustaining medical equipment, check backup power supplies. Plan where to go should the need for evacuation occurs. If you need to go to the hospital or other emergency shelter, remember to take your medical equipment and medications with you to the facility.
• If you plan to use a portable generator, make sure it is placed in a well-ventilated area outside the home, and be sure to carefully follow all instructions in the manufacturer’s manual.
• If you experience an outage, turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment, especially sensitive electronics. In the event of an outage, this will prevent damage to the equipment from surges when power is restored.
• If you have a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system, consult with your licensed solar contractor regarding normal and emergency operation procedures for your solar system. Most rooftop PV systems are designed to safely shut down during outages. This is a safety precaution to prevent reverse power flow into power lines while utility crews are working on restoration. PV systems typically have monitoring systems that allow owners to check on the status of their systems. For safety tips, visit hawaiianelectric.com/rooftopsolarsafety. 
• If you are cooking when an outage occurs, remember to turn off the stove, oven, or other appliances, and remove all items such as pots and pans from the burners.
• Visit hawaiianelectric.com/stormcenter for more preparation and safety tips.