Hawaiian Electric Urges Big Island Customers to Prepare for Kona Storm Outages

Hawaiian Electric is warning Big Island customers and businesses to brace for power outages as a Kona storm pushes heavy rain, strong winds, thunderstorms and potential flash flooding across Hawaiʻi Island, with about 160 customers already without power in areas including Hilo and along the Hāmākua Coast.

The utility published a storm-preparation checklist and safety guidance March 9, directing customers to hawaiianelectric.com/stormcenter for tips on getting ready. More than 1,500 customers on Hawaiʻi Island had already been restored as of the latest update, but Hawaiian Electric warned that conditions could drive further outages throughout the weekend.

Statewide, approximately 10,350 customers were without power as of noon, with over 150 Hawaiian Electric employees and contractors working to restore service. The company has scheduled additional crews to repair damage, clear fallen trees and vegetation, and bring power back online.

One source of risk that residents may not anticipate: underground infrastructure. Hawaiian Electric cautioned that heavy rains and flooding can cause water to seep underground and contact buried power lines, triggering outages even in areas unaffected by visible storm damage.

The company was direct about how it decides where to send crews. "Crews do not restore power based on when customers report an outage, where customers live, or the status of accounts," Hawaiian Electric stated. "They will assess multiple locations and follow an overall plan that calls for restoring power to the largest number of customers as safely and quickly as possible." That means a customer who calls in an outage first is not guaranteed to be restored first; the utility prioritizes efficiency and safety across its network.

Hawaiian Electric also urged customers to stay away from downed power lines and standing water, both of which carry serious electrocution risk during storm conditions.

Updates on outages and preparation guidance are available at hawaiianelectric.com/stormcenter.