Hawaiian Electric is continuing restoration work to rebuild portions of the electric system in Lahaina in an effort to ensure safe and reliable power to all West Maui customers following the August 2023 wildfires. Ongoing restoration efforts include the rebuilding of transmission and distribution lines along former routes in the Lahaina area with the installation of new interim steel poles and electrical equipment.
Currently, crews are continuing repairs to restore an approximate 350 remaining customers in Lahaina, including the Wahikuli area. In the last two weeks, with more areas being cleared for re-entry by emergency response officials, crews restored power to about 300 customers in the Kahoma Village, parts of Puamana and Upper Kapunakea area.
The County of Maui through its Emergency Operations Center and Maui Emergency Management Agency has requested this utility work to begin in the upcoming weeks to restore county wastewater pumps that service the area. The work also enables the interim rebuilding of two backup circuits that can reroute power to customers and neighborhoods in the Puamana, Launiupoko to Olowalu area, and mauka of the Lahaina Bypass.
As the Maui community discusses what the future of its energy delivery system will look like, overhead poles are being used as an interim solution in order for customers in Lahaina to safely receive electricity.
Hawaiian Electric restored additional circuits today in West Maui, picking up customers along the Kā‘anapali Coast, including many of the hotels, resorts and condominiums that had been without electricity since Tuesday. Since Friday, service has been restored to about 5,500 customers in West Maui.