Newsletter Updates

To increase communication and transparency, the Customer Installation Division (CID) of Hawaiian Electric created "E Hoomaikai", which means "to improve." Using these periodic emails, the Customer Installation Division hopes to improve communication with you and provide a clearer path to getting your projects completed on schedule. Find updates and information compiled from past quarterly emails (previous four) below.

E Hoomaikai #26 (May 2026)

Oahu Only: Adjusting to new City & County of Honolulu Department of Permitting & Planning (DPP) system

We’ve all had to learn the new system that DPP put into place late last year and we continue to learn with you. To help add some clarity, we:

• Only accept permits in the Inspection phase (not Issuance phase)
• Still require an E2 permit

If you don’t ensure that the permit application includes a clear E2/E-Electrical Meter on the permit or that these options are checked off on the permit, your Hawaiian Electric Electrical Service Application will be rejected. We've been requiring a screenshot of your customer view since the Electrical Phases are apparently shown there, but it is not shown on the pages we can view.

Stakeholder and customer information

To improve our ability to service our customers and increase transparency amongst stakeholders, we’re asking that when submitting your Electrical Service Request Form or application, that you include the contact information for the end customer (e.g. homeowner, business owner representatives, developers, etc.) as well as key partners like general contractors, electrical contractors, etc. This will allow our system and planners to include all parties in our email communication and ensure everyone is getting the latest information.

This information is now required to complete the processing of your application and may cause delays should this information be missing.

De-energize/Re-energize or Disconnect/Reconnect requests

Many times, disconnect/reconnect or de-energize/re-energize requests are not as simple as flipping a switch off and on. When our “Trouble” group is called, our dispatchers can only reconnect the service if the equipment is installed exactly as it was (one-for-one replacements). If reconfiguration due to new codes, different equipment or other improvements are needed, a request for De-energize/Re-energize or Disconnect/Reconnect should be submitted as soon as possible.

Once assigned to the job, our planners need to assess the specific equipment involved and develop a plan to include the appropriate resources to safely operate the specific equipment. This takes time. We also need to give enough time to our System Operations team so they can safely plan for and schedule the work and also to our Resource Planning and T&D Operations groups to schedule and execute the work. This work should be planned in advance and the request should be submitted a couple months prior to when the outage is needed.

With this amount of lead time, the customer and Hawaiian Electric can properly plan and schedule this work without rushing and compromising safety.

Please plan ahead and submit de-energize/re-energize or disconnect/reconnect work requests about two months in advance to help us meet your desired due dates.

CIT (Customer Interconnection Tool) Reminders

• Add your phone number to your account information.
• Provide the end customer’s name, phone number and email address in Customer Information (e.g. homeowner for residential, developer/business owner contact for commercial, etc.).
• Homeowners should not submit applications. Licensed electricians should submit service request applications on behalf of homeowners.
• List all stakeholders involved with the project.
• NOTE: We will fail all applications that do not include the requestor’s contact phone number and customer information.
• OAHU ONLY: Provide a screenshot of the E-2 or E-Electrical Work for HNL Build permits as our online view is very limited.
• Refer to our Submission Requirements

E Hoomaikai #25 (March 2026)

Upgrades and bends

As residential homeowners and their electrical contactors work to upgrade services from 100 amps to 200 amps or even 320 amps, Hawaiian Electric will be updating our Electric Service Installation Manual, or ESIM, to eliminate the allowance of 18” radius 90-degree bends leading to the splice can. This will be consistent with our 30-1035 standard (page 4) where the smallest radius bend allowed is 24”.

Passing the mandrel test with a standard mandrel will continue to be a requirement.

This improved alignment of our ESIM and our standard will reduce potential confusion or frustration for homeowners, contractors and our inspectors in fulfilling upgrade requirements.

Meter Socket Adapters (Meter Collars)

Hawaiian Electric recognizes that technologies like meter socket adapters provide important cost and time savings for customers and contractors, and play a role in helping achieve Hawaii’s clean energy goals. We appreciate the industry’s patience and partnership as we work on standards that support safe and scalable adoption of innovative solutions.

An update related to meter socket adapters will also be included in the 2Q26/10th edition ESIM. After much internal discussion and improvement events with all internal stakeholders, we are allowing meter socket adapters, but with clearly defined standards for installation, removal and maintenance, including approval of meter socket adapters vendors. The application process and requirements, along with a list of approved models, are being compiled and will be shared once finalized.

Change in underground infrastructure requirements

There has been a recent change in the requirements for new underground infrastructure designs for three-phase, main circuits. In the past, 6” ducts were required only for main distribution circuits within an underground system designed for 25kV service. However, effective May 1, 2026, this 6” duct requirement will apply for any voltage level of all main distribution circuits within an underground system. Therefore, any service request application submitted after May 1, 2026, must comply with this new requirement. Any service request application that is received prior to May 1, 2026, even if it is not yet built, will be grandfathered and allowed to follow the old requirements.

Reminders

• When requesting a standby person or disconnect/reconnect to de-energize transformers, please recognize that if more than a 1-hour courtesy access or disconnect/reconnect is required through our Commercial Client Services group, then a service request will need to be submitted to Customer Engineering, and we need the application submitted 4 – 6 weeks prior to the need date to:
  • Process the application
  • Conduct research
  • Site check
  • Prepare cost letter and receive payment
  • Schedule work to execute safely and effectively
• Replacement of current transformer (CT) meter equipment in the same location requires a longer outage. This is due to a requirement for Meter Installation Release before we can schedule energization, which requires at least five business days. Factoring in this requirement, the customer will be out of power for a minimum of 10 business days assuming inspection, installation and energization are completed with no issues. We want to ensure customers and contractors are aware of this for planning purposes and in case a temporary generator is needed.
• Phone numbers are a critical piece of information for your CIT-CID applications for service. And although it is not a required field when registering for an account in the CIT tool, we ask that you please add your phone number in the Account Details to your CIT account, or please add yourself as a Stakeholder in your application and include your phone number. This will help ensure we can contact you promptly if needed to keep your application and project moving forward.
• To ensure all stakeholders receive updates and notifications throughout the service request process, please include all stakeholders in your CIT-CID application. Once the service request is created, the system does not allow us to add stakeholders.

E Hoomaikai #24 (November 2025)

No turtlenecks for meter sockets

Meter sockets with “turtlenecks” or metal brims (see above picture) are not allowed. We can’t put our Hawaiian Electric meter bands on them and if something were to go wrong with the service, we can’t put a “false meter base” on it to run a temporary jumper to power the home/business. Please reference Electric Service Installation Manual (ESIM) page 41, Section 4.3.E, and the note about “Ring-type and comply with ANSI C12.7”.

Transformer/Switchgear lead-time updates

Supply chain issues for the past several years with transformers have primarily been resolved and lead times have returned to pre-pandemic levels. Switchgear lead times continue to be a challenge, but here are updated lead times for these critical components:

Transformers

• Pole mounts 75kVA and below: 6 months
• Pole mounts >75kVA: 12 months
• Sub/step down: 12 months
• 1-ph Pad mounts: 7 months
• 3-ph Pad mounts (750kVA and below): 7 months
• 3-ph Pad mounts (greater than 750kVA): 12 months

Switchgears

• PMH and PME Switchgears: 12 months
• Vista Switchgears: 24+ months

Project payments

Our engineering and construction costs consist of a preliminary deposit, rough cost (if applicable) and final or firm cost proposal. The preliminary deposit is an initial payment for engineering and expected support and operations resources required early in the process depending on scope, which will be credited toward the total project cost.

Please note that there should be only one party responsible for our engineering/service/construction costs, and we require this billing party information while creating your request. This way, after the project is completed and if for some reason there are any refunds, we will know who to refund.

Late to expect PV tax credits

We want to remind electricians/PV companies that it’s too late for customers to try to hurry and install PV during the latter part of the year to receive tax credits. We have been getting an unusually high number of applications for PV upgrades. Most will probably not be completed by year end, especially if they involve underground work.

PV companies should be aware of our typical upgrade timeframes. Putting in last-minute, end-of-year requests for upgrades creates unnecessary stress for our planners. Also, customers get upset because they may not receive tax credits they were promised.

Reminders/Things to know

• The 10th edition of our Electric Service Installation Manual (ESIM) should be released in 1Q26!
• Although it’s not a required field, we ask the Requestor of the service request application in our CIT-CID online tool to please include their phone number or to add themselves as a stakeholder. Having the phone number helps us ensure communication when needed, and helps address issues with your request in a timely manner.
• Customers should not expect our underground inspectors to help pull customer-owned cable into energized vaults or to pull cable at all. That work should be performed by the customer, or our T&D Operations crews when the vault or equipment is de-energized.
• Our main point of contact for a service request is the person who submitted the service request. Therefore, any updates on the status of the project go to the Requestor. If other stakeholders for the project require updates, we suggest that the Requestor create a group email that includes the other stakeholders requiring updates. This group email communication will help prevent multiple people from calling the planners and asking for similar information, which is not efficient and causes delays for everyone.

E Hoomaikai #23 (September 2025)

Master metering

“Master metering service for apartments, condominiums, and multi-unit buildings containing residential units” may be allowed “when the individual occupant does not control a substantial portion of the energy such as for water heating or air-conditioning or if such service will tend to encourage conservation or the efficient use of energy” (from Title 6 of the State Department of Budget and Finance, Chapter 60-5). The utility, or Hawaiian Electric, has the right to determine the use of master metering. Determination, disputes, modifications, or exemptions should be in accordance with HRS 269-6 and 7.

In commercial and industrial uses, where a single tenant consumes a significant amount of electricity and controls a major portion of its use, then to the extent practicable, individually metered service should be used.

Preliminary Engineering payments are required for projects to proceed

Please be aware that after working with our Customer Engineering Support team and the completeness review process for your service request application, you will receive an email requesting preliminary engineering payment. This payment is required before our planners can spend any time working on your project.

Please ensure timely payment for this preliminary engineering cost so the assigned planner can receive your job package from our Customer Engineering Support team and start work on it. If payment is not received, the assigned planner will not receive the job package and no progress will be made on your project.

In addition, if payment is not received within four (4) months from the date of the email/letter, your application will be cancelled and you will need to submit a new application.

Plans for temporary power

Please be sure when planning removal or demolition work that temporary power is also considered and incorporated in your plans. This can help reduce rework and avoid rushes. Be sure to also confirm if single-phase or three-phase power is needed for temporary needs. Finally, please remember that the temporary equipment will need to be removed as well, so kindly let us know when the temporary service and equipment are no longer needed.

Reminders

• Changes in scope of work for your projects will likely incur additional charges. Even if the scope of work is reduced, additional engineering time to adjust to the changes should be anticipated.
• Submit service requests for ancillary service (e.g. irrigation, traffic signals, streetlights, etc.) meters only within 4 – 6 months of requiring energization.
• Our Electric Service Installation Manual (ESIM) is under review and a new electronic version (10th edition) should be available by early 2026. Please share any ideas, areas you think need clarity, or information that should be added, etc.