HECO urges to prepare for another potential storm; 13,000 without power on Hawaiʻi Island following Lala

HECO 10 a.m. Update: Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026

Hawaiian Electric reports it has essentially restored power to all customers impacted by Hurricane Lala on O‘ahu and Maui, two days earlier than its Friday target of restoring 95% of impacted customers. Crews continue to work on small pocket outages and individual service lines on these islands.

Hawaiian Electric expects nearly all impacted customers to be restored on Hawai‘i Island by Friday, except for certain remote and severely damaged areas. As of 9 a.m., about 80% of impacted customers have been restored on Hawaiʻi Island. About 13,380 are still without power. Most of the outages are in the Puna area, North and South Kona, North and South Kohala, Hamakua, North and South Hilo, and Ka‘ū.

Learn more about the extended outages in the company’s “Facts about the prolonged outages on Hawai‘i Island” and see the related estimated Hawai‘i Island restoration map.

Crews continue to work around the clock to stabilize systems, repair damage and safely restore as many customers as possible across its service territories ahead of the new potential storm system approaching the state. Statewide, crews have repaired 43 of the 61 damaged transmission lines that transport power from power plants to communities. Although power has been restored to many customers, work is still underway to the electrical systems on each island.  

Customers who are without power but see their neighbors have electricity restored should call their respective Trouble Line to report the outage:

• Hawaiʻi Island: 1-855-304-9191
• Maui County: 1-855-304-8181
• Oʻahu: 1-855-304-1212

If you are using 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. 

Be prepared

With another potential storm on its way, the company urges customers to review their emergency plans, ensure they have supplies on hand and to closely monitor weather updates. Preparation and safety tips are available at hawaiianelectric.com/stormcenter. Detailed tips may also be found in the HECO Handbook for Emergency Preparedness, which can be downloaded for free in English, Cantonese, Ilocano, Korean, and Vietnamese languages, as well as a version for children.

Misinformation about filing claims

HECO reports that there is a lot of misinformation circulating about filing a claim after a power outage. “Under Tariff Rule No. 16, approved by the State of Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission, Hawaiian Electric is not liable for losses ʻcaused by accident, storm, fire, strikes, riots, war, public safety power shutoff or any cause not within the company’s control through the exercise of reasonable diligence and care.ʻ The losses that are not covered include, but are not limited to, food spoilage and medication that requires refrigeration, etc.,” HECO reports. More information about filing damage claims can be found on the company’s website.