Hawaiian Electric continues restoration work in Lahaina
Hawaiian Electric continues urgent restoration work in Lahaina 10 weeks after the devastating Aug. 8 wildfire.
Image for illustration purposes.
USA, Maui: Hawaiian Electric continues urgent restoration work in Lahaina 2 months after the devastating Aug. 8 wildfire.
Work includes power restoration to remaining customers, and efforts to rebuild portions of the damaged electric system. Company representatives say this is to ensure safe and reliable power to West Maui customers from Olowalu to Kapalua.
By Aug. 25, Hawaiian Electric crews had completed repairs to bring over 95% of those Maui customers who were affected by outages in West Maui and Upcountry back online. In September, Maui emergency management officials requested for Hawaiian Electric to begin rebuilding electrical infrastructure to serve critical customers in and around Lahaina. This work enabled power to be restored to wastewater pumps, traffic signals and telecommunication services.
Crews are continuing repairs to restore approximately 300 customers in Lahaina, including the Wahikuli area, while in the last two weeks, power was restored to about 350 customers in the Kahoma Village, parts of Puamana and Upper Kapunakea area.
Other work includes the construction of about 600 feet (183 m) of underground infrastructure to support the installation of a substation transformer at the company’s Lahainaluna Substation near the Lahaina Bypass Road. This helps to improve service reliability to the neighborhoods in Lahainaluna, Puamana, and Launiupoko to Olowalu area, formerly supported by the Lahaina Substation, destroyed during the wildfires.
Customers in these areas are currently served by two temporary mobile substations installed in late August. Once the undergrounding and installation of the new transformer is complete, it will allow for the removal of one of the temporary substations.
Additional efforts involve restoring a third transmission line along its former route through Lahaina town with the installation of new interim poles and electrical equipment. This temporary overhead infrastructure aids service reliability, as this transmission line provides a backup route of power to West Maui, including neighborhoods in Puʻukoliʻi, Māhinahina, Nāpili, Kā‘anapali, and Kapalua.
Until the repairs of this line are complete, anticipated to be completed in the first quarter of 2024, West Maui customers may experience extended outages because power cannot currently be rerouted from another circuit. Company representatives say this would not preclude the possibility of underground utilities in the future as long-term, community-driven plans are developed.
Source: Maui Now
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