Hawaiian Electric ends power shutoff watch as fire danger eases

Hawaiian Electric ended its Public Safety Power Shutoff watch at 9 a.m. Sunday after wind speeds fell and humidity climbed out of hazardous ranges across its service territories, and it never turned off power to any customers under the program. Any outages that did occur were unrelated to the watch, a brief relief for Hawaii Island households and businesses that had been bracing for a precautionary cut to keep utility lines from becoming part of a wildfire.

PSPS is designed for the opposite of routine storm outages. The program, which began July 1, 2024, is a last line of defense when severe weather and dry conditions combine in areas with high wildfire exposure. The utility put the program in place after the August 2023 Maui windstorm and wildfires, and its wildfire planning documents tie the strategy to interim safety measures and a broader 2025-2027 plan.

Hawaiian Electric held wildfire safety outreach on Hawaii Island, including an Aug. 19, 2024 community resilience fair at Kealakehe High School, and it now offers searchable PSPS maps and preparedness guidance for customers. The tools help residents, schools, healthcare providers and employers decide ahead of time whether they need backup power, extra refrigeration, chargers or schedule changes before an actual shutoff notice lands.

For communities such as South Kohala, Kawaihae and Waikoloa, the threat is not only losing lights for a few hours. It is the knock-on effect on refrigerated inventory, medical equipment, internet service and other operations that rely on electricity to keep moving.