Exploring the history of downtown Honolulu’s power plant
Every day on my way to work, I see the deactivated Honolulu Power Plant sitting at the end of Alakea Street in downtown Honolulu, and I often wondered what the inside looked like. At the end of last year, our government and community relations, and corporate communications process area had the opportunity to tour the facility.
Lei Day and Merrie Monarch Festival celebrate culture and community
Today is Lei Day in Hawaii, one of many celebrations rooted in our state’s rich culture and diverse communities. Lei Day is about sharing aloha and honoring the relationships that connect us.
Shop Small & Support Local: Where to grab matcha in downtown Honolulu/Chinatown
Occasionally, when walking through downtown or driving in the area, I see our crews and contractors hard at work, and I’m always amazed at the time and effort they put into servicing our grid. I don’t know how to fix a vault or inspect manholes to support the area, but there is one thing I know a bit more about: matcha and the many local businesses in the neighborhood that make great lattes.
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Community, Outages
Crews upgrade power cables in Nanakuli to address outages
As a communications specialist, it’s part of my job to monitor outages and at times field calls from local media outlets. Unfortunately, we respond to inquiries about outages in some areas more frequently than others. Of late, Nanakuli has had more than its fair share of outages. It’s why our company has embarked on a major project to replace direct-buried cables that are at the root of the problem.
Emergency Preparedness, Safety
Wildfire safety begins with learning
May is National Wildfire Awareness Month dedicated to prevention and preparedness. The Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) says over 99% of all wildfires in Hawaii are human-caused, and wildfire safety begins with learning about wildfire and safety.
Community, Energy Savings
Energy savings and sustainable living in the city
Sometimes city life can be overwhelming and “detached” from nature, but luckily the building I live in prioritizes energy efficiency, and I have started to incorporate other simple energy-saving habits and sustainable living practices into my life to save money and do my part for our aina, even from my 450-square-foot apartment.
Community Solar, Distributed Energy Resources, Renewable Energy, Solar
Mapping Hawaiian Electric’s road to energy independence
In my short time at the company the view from my office has certainly changed, and I’ve seen our energy landscape transform in meaningful and important ways. You can see it clearly in the Sustainability Reports and Maps we’ve published over the years.
Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy
Electric Garage Talk: Driven by Tony
Meet Tony Benton, a lifelong car enthusiast and rideshare driver living in Honolulu. When his gas-powered car gave out, he made the leap into the electric lane with a Chevy Bolt — and hasn’t looked back. In this candid conversation, Tony shares what it’s like switching to an EV as a full-time driver.
Emergency Preparedness, Safety
Strengthening partnerships for a safer Hawaii
Last July, we launched the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program as part of our commitment to reducing wildfire risks and ensuring community safety. Since then, we’ve continued to work on improving our processes to make the best decisions during a PSPS event.
Community
Planting seeds of change at the Waianae Kai Forest Reserve
This past December, I started working at Hawaiian Electric as a digital communications and social media specialist. One of the reasons I was interested in joining the ohana was our commitment to Hawaii's community — not just in the everyday services we provide but in the impact we have in the everyday lives of Hawaii's people.
Community
Dad taught lessons in saving energy, serving customers
It’s amazing how much I learned from my father over the 50-plus years he was in my life. My dad, Richard Tangonan, passed away in early January and now that he’s gone, I’m struck by how much he taught me — everything from his energy-saving habits to customer service skills.
Community
Supporting robotics; investing in future engineers
For nearly 20 years, our company has supported robotics programs such as FIRST Robotics, FIRST Lego League, Botball and VEX robotics competitions knowing that the investment in these STEM programs would help Hawaii develop future leaders and innovators. If any of those students went on to join our Hawaiian Electric ohana — even better.
Community
Champions help to heal communities: Bryson Toma
Our next 2024 Kokua Champion, Bryson Toma, is a shift supervisor and leader of the Hawaii Island generation department, a role that helps to keep the lights on for our Big Island customers. The Hilo native is also a former Hawaii Army National Guard member who faithfully served our country as an Army medic from 1996 until his retirement in 2020.
