10 a.m. update: Hawaiian Electric makes significant progress overnight on transmission line repairs, restorations

The restoration process prioritizes stabilizing system, essential community services and areas with the largest number of affected customers

- Approximately 57,000 customers or less than 15% are without power as of 7 a.m.
- Oahu customers again asked to conserve power today

Release Date: 8/18/2026

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HONOLULU, Aug. 18, 2026 – Hawaiian Electric made significant progress in restoring power to affected customers across Oahu, Hawaii Island and Maui County overnight and are focused on completing damage assessments and additional restorations today. Of the 60 transmission and subtransmission lines damaged by high winds and uprooted trees during Tropical Storm Lala, 30 have been repaired. This is critical work to reconnect power generation to the island grids, but transmission lines often cross through remote areas, making access and repairs challenging. Helicopter and drones are still being deployed on Oahu, Hawaii Island and Maui today to assist with ongoing damage assessments in remote areas with rugged terrain.

Hawaiian Electric thanks everyone for their continued patience and acknowledges the challenges of being without power for extended periods. The company is focused on completing damage assessments so that restoration updates can be provided as soon as possible.

Our storm restoration process emphasizes safety and essential community services. Restorations take place in a manner designed to affect areas that serve emergency facilities and the greatest number of customers first. In some cases, we need to address accessibility issues such as downed trees that need to be cut and cleared. Whenever it’s possible to safely do some of these steps in parallel, we will do so. Even if you don’t see us in your neighborhood, rest assured that we are working to restore power as quickly as possible.

As of 7:30 a.m.:

• Hawaii Island: About 10,750 customers were restored overnight. Approximately 27,700 customers remain without power. Most of the outages are in the Puna area, North and South Kona, North and South Kohala, Hamakua and South Hilo. Assessments have found extensive damage to poles on lines serving North and South Kohala. Access to Upper Puna is being hindered by vegetation in and around Hawaiian Electric lines. Tree trimmers have been called in to cut back trees and other vegetation impacted by the storm. There were 21 transmission or subtransmission lines affected by the storm and 11 of them or 52% have been repaired.
• Maui County: Overnight, crews restored power to more than half of all remaining customers. About 2,100 remain without power. Today, crews are focused on repairs in Kula, Alaluana, Olinda, Piiholo, and Haiku and pocket outages in West Maui, Central and South Maui, East Maui, Molokai and Lanai. In Upcountry, large, downed trees are being cleared in certain areas before repairs can be made. Maui had nine transmission/subtransmission lines affected by the storm and six (66.67%) have been restored.
• Oahu: About 27,200 customers remain without power in Honolulu, Leeward and Windward areas. Oahu had 30 transmission/subtransmission lines affected by the storm and 13 have been restored (43.33%). Work is underway to repair 10 damaged poles in central Oahu that carry subtransmission lines. Crews are also working on reconnecting Hoohana Solar. This would further stabilize the electrical grid, but until work can be completed, customers from Salt Lake to East Honolulu who do have electricity are again asked to conserve power today.

Outage numbers represent a snapshot in time and change often as additional customers are restored and more outages occur, sometimes in the same area.

Customers can call our Trouble Lines to report any downed power lines, which should always be treated as energized and dangerous.

• Hawaii Island: 1-855-304-9191
• Maui County: 1-855-304-8181
• Oahu: 1-855-304-1212

We are committed to keeping you informed

Hawaiian Electric communicates restoration information to customers frequently through the news media and the following mobile-friendly resources:

• Hawaiian Electric website: hawaiianelectric.com
• Twitter/X: @HwnElectric; @mauielectric; @hielectriclight
• Facebook: facebook.com/HawaiianElectric
• Mobile app: free download available on Apple App and Google Play stores