Power shutoffs possible for Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, 1,200 North Kohala customers without power

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaiian Electric continues to monitor the wildfire threat from high winds and dry conditions and may proactively shut off power in high-risk areas.

The following parts of Maui and Hawaiʻi Island could be affected as part of HECO’s Public Safety Power Shutoff program:

• Westside, Maui
• Mā’alaea, Maui
• Puʻunēnē, Maui
• Pūlehu, Maui
• Ōmaʻopio, Maui
• South Kohala, Hawaiʻi Island

While HECO has not initiated any PSPS at this time, customers in communities with high exposure to wildfire risk are being urged to initiate their own emergency plans and prepare for the possibility of extended power outages.

A National Weather Service wind advisory is in effect for Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island through 6 a.m. Thursday.

Wednesday’s weather forecasts indicate potential higher wind gusts and dropping humidity levels between noon to 8 p.m. on Maui and from 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Hawai’i Island.

Hawaiian Electric continues to monitor weather conditions across its service territories, particularly in areas where wildfire risk is elevated.

PSPS determinations can change at any time based on weather conditions. The criteria for determining a shutoff, which must be met concurrently, are persistent drought conditions, wind gusts 45 mph and higher and relative humidity below 45%.

The company analyzes data from weather stations and cameras near its infrastructure in high-risk areas with potential for fire spread.

Wind speeds at higher elevations can be significantly stronger than those experienced in nearby communities.

Current outages

There are currently outages in the North Kohala area affecting approximately 2,100 customers due to weather conditions in the area and not related to the PSPS program, according to HECO.

Additional outages that are not related to the company’s PSPS program could still occur due to high winds and other conditions.

For more information and maps, call Hawaiian Electric’s PSPS hotline at 1-844-483-8666 toll-free or go to hawaiianelectric.com/PSPS. Follow Hawaiian Electric on social media or the mobile app to stay updated.