Public Utilities Commission to hold meetings on Hawaiian Electric storm outages; none yet set for Maui County

The Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission will hold public informational meetings across the state beginning Monday on Hawaiian Electric’s recent storm-related power outages, but none are scheduled yet for Maui, Molokaʻi or Lānaʻi.

The commission said it plans to hold additional meetings for Maui County communities, as well as Central Oʻahu and urban Honolulu, and will also offer a virtual participation option. Dates and details will be announced once they are finalized, the commission said.

Each meeting will include statements from Hawaiian Electric and the state Consumer Advocate. Residents will be able to share concerns and feedback about the reliability of their electric service. The commission said public input will inform its ongoing review of the outages and future planning for Hawaiʻi’s energy system.

Written comments

Maui County residents can also weigh in without attending a meeting. The commission encouraged residents to submit written comments that reference Docket No. 2021-0024 and include “Outage 2026” in the subject line. Comments can be submitted:

• Online, through the commission’s public comment portal
• By email, to puc@hawaii.gov
• By mail, to the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission, 465 S. King St., #103, Honolulu 96813

Scheduled meetings

• Monday, 6 p.m.: East Honolulu and Windward Oʻahu, Kailua High School cafeteria, 451 Ulumanu Drive, Kailua
• Thursday, 6:30 p.m.: West Oʻahu, Kapolei High School cafeteria, 91-5007 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei
• Oct. 20, 6 p.m.: East Hawaiʻi Island, Waiākea High School cafeteria, 155 W. Kawili St., Hilo
• Oct. 21, 6 p.m.: West Hawaiʻi Island, Kealakehe High School cafeteria, 74-5000 Puohulihuli St., Kailua-Kona
• Oct. 26, 6:30 p.m.: West and South Hawaiʻi Island, Kaʻū High School cafeteria, 96-3150 Pikake St., Pāhala

The commission said it will post recordings of each meeting on its YouTube channel, which Maui County residents can watch.

The Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission regulates chartered, franchised, certificated and registered public utility companies operating in the state. The commission says its mission is to ensure safe, reliable and affordable utility services that are in the public interest.