Hawaiian Electric offers tips to help residents distinguish power lines from telecom lines

Not every low-hanging or damaged wire on a utility pole belongs to Hawaiian Electric, according to a safety alert the utility issued Wednesday aimed at helping the public tell the difference between electrical and telecommunications lines.

Hawaiian Electric said many reports of damaged lines actually involve equipment owned by telephone, cable or internet providers, and knowing which company owns a downed line can help ensure the hazard is reported to the right provider and addressed more quickly.

The utility outlined four ways to distinguish power lines from telecom lines:

• Power lines are thinner and typically made of aluminum or copper, while telecom lines are thicker and wrapped in a hard protective covering.
• Power lines are mounted on the highest portion of utility poles, while telecom lines are installed lower.
• Power lines are held in place with insulators; telecom lines don’t require insulators.
• Power lines are spaced apart and should not touch one another, while telecom lines are usually bundled together in large groups of cables.

Jim Kelly, Hawaiian Electric’s vice president of government and community relations and corporate communications, said the assumption that any low-hanging wire is a power line is understandable, but distinguishing between electrical and telecommunications equipment can speed up response and improve safety.

Telecommunications poles are not owned by Hawaiian Electric, the utility said. They tend to be shorter and smaller in circumference than power poles and carry only bundled telecom lines that can appear as a single thick cable.

For Maui County residents, downed power lines can be reported around the clock by calling Hawaiian Electric’s trouble line at 1-855-304-8181. On Oʻahu, the number is 1-855-304-1212, and on Hawaiʻi island it’s 1-855-304-9191.

Hawaiian Electric warned that anyone who sees a person who has come into contact with a downed power line should call 911 immediately rather than attempting a rescue, since electrical current can travel through the victim to a rescuer. The utility also urged residents to warn others to stay away from any downed line.

Safety concerns involving telecommunications lines should be directed to the appropriate provider. Hawaiian Telcom can be reached at 808-643-3456 or 808-643-6111, and Spectrum can be reached at 833-949-0036.