Major transmission line restored as power returns to Pāhala; 1,600 still without power after Hurricane Lala

Hawaiian Electric reached a restoration milestone on Hawaiʻi Island with the successful return of a key transmission line from Pāhala to Kīlauea, allowing crews to return power to customers in Pāhala.

Service has been restored to approximately 1,300 customers since Thursday morning. Work continues around the clock to restore approximately 1,600 customers remaining without power as of 6 p.m.

HECO representatives say the transmission line restoration marks significant progress in recovery efforts following Hurricane Lala and strengthens the electric system serving communities in southern Hawaiʻi Island. Crews continue working to assess damage, rebuild infrastructure and restore service to remaining customers in some of the hardest-hit areas.

Additional personnel, equipment and resources from across the state and the mainland continue to support restoration efforts as outage numbers decline.