Hawaiian Electric faces scrutiny after Chinatown power outages

In a recent government meeting, officials discussed the procedures for public testimony and addressed significant power outages affecting downtown and Chinatown areas. The meeting was conducted remotely, allowing public participation both in person and via video conference, although no testimonies were registered for this session.

The primary focus of the meeting was an informational briefing by Hawaiian Electric Company, presented by Jim Kelly, Vice President of Government and Community Relations. Kelly detailed two major outages that occurred in June, impacting approximately 3,500 customers. The first outage happened on June 13, followed by a more severe incident from June 17 to June 21, which lasted three days due to cable faults that led to an underground fire.

To prevent future occurrences, Hawaiian Electric has engaged an external engineering expert to conduct a root cause analysis of the outages. Kelly acknowledged the hardships faced by residents and business owners during this period and expressed regret for the disruptions caused. He emphasized the company's commitment to resolving the issues and improving communication with affected customers.

The meeting concluded without any public testimonies, as both registered and non-registered speakers were absent. The council members are expected to continue discussions on the matter in future sessions, focusing on the findings from the ongoing investigation into the outages.