HECO 1 p.m. update: Power restored to more customers on Oʻahu’s North Shore; Crews working on pocket outages in Hāna, Maui

1 p.m. update: Hawaiian Electric restores power to 1,200 more customers on Oʻahu’s North Shore; Tips for safely switching breakers on or off at your home

Hawaiian Electric has restored power to approximately 1,200 additional customers in Waialua on the North Shore of Oʻahu whose electricity was proactively turned off Friday due to catastrophic flooding. Crews continue to assess circuits and plan to restore service to most of the remaining 2,000 customers later today. To ensure public safety, damage assessments and repairs must be completed before electricity can be turned on. 

Hawaiian Electric will send a notification to customers who have been restored in the Waialua areas notifying them that it is safe to turn on the main breaker. Do not turn on your breaker until you receive a notification from the company that it is safe to do so.

How to turn off your breaker

• Make sure electrical outlets are clear of any water before shutting off the main breaker.
• Do not step in water to get to your circuit breaker panel or fuse box.
• Locate your breaker panel. It may be in a closet or a garage. Your home may also have more than one panel. You should not use any tools as your breakers are accessible by hand.
• Switch off each breaker in the box, one by one. Then switch off the main breaker at the top of the panel. If your main breaker is not in your breaker panel, it may be outside near your electric meter. Open the panel beside your electric meter and switch your main breaker off. Do not touch your electric meter.
• Unplug any sensitive electronics or appliances, as a power surge may occur when power is restored.

How to turn on your breaker

After Hawaiian Electric informs you that power has been restored to your home and it is safe to turn on the main breaker:

• Unplug any wet appliances.
• If standing water remains in the area, do not touch your breaker. If your electric meter, circuit breaker panel or fuse box are damaged, do not attempt to turn them on.
• Turn on the main breaker, then flip each switch in the breaker panel to the on position.

Customers on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and in Maui County should also remain prepared for the possibility of power outages due to ongoing weather conditions. As of noon:

• Maui County: About 100 customers are without power. Two crews are working in Hāna to address storm-related pocket outages.
• Hawaiʻi Island: All major outages have been addressed. Customers who remain without power should call 1-855-304-9191 to report it.
• Oʻahu: Roughly 2,000 customers are without electricity in the North Shore area. 

If electricity was restored in your neighborhood, but you do not have power, please check your main breaker and your breaker panel to ensure all the switches are in the on position before reporting your outage. Report outages to the Hawaiian Electric Trouble Lines: O‘ahu: 1-855-304-1212; Maui County: 1-855-304-8181, and Hawai‘i Island: 1-855-304-9191.

For more information about recovering after a storm, read our Handbook for Emergency Preparedness.