Complaint against Hawaiian Electric following devastating fires in Hawaii
Maui County is suing Hawaiian Electric for failing to disconnect power before the deadly fires despite weather warnings.
| Sectors | Power Grids, Distribution |
|---|---|
| Themes | Regulation & Governance, Litigation |
It’s been over two weeks since the deadly fires that almost completely destroyed a town in Hawaii. On Thursday, Maui County decided to file a lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric, the archipelago’s main electricity supplier. The committee criticizes the group for failing to cut the power before the disaster.
Suspicions about Hawaiian Electric: Link between damaged power line and fatal fires
The company is the subject of numerous suspicions and has already been the target of a complaint from residents. Some residents filmed a wind-damaged power line on the day of the disaster. The flames quickly surrounded the damaged line. The courts have not yet published the conclusions of their investigation, but many people are now questioning Hawaiian Electric’s responsibility for the fires. These fires have claimed the lives of at least 115 people and are the deadliest in the United States in a century.
The company “acted negligently in failing to de-energize its electrical equipment”, despite a warning from the U.S. Weather Service, Maui County estimated in a press release.
Before the flames destroyed the town of Lahaina, Hawaii was on fire alert. High winds, fueled by Hurricane Dora in the Pacific just a few hundred kilometers from the archipelago, were the cause of the alert. Fires ravaged the city despite the alert situation.
According to the complaint, consulted by AFP, the county believes that “this destruction could have been avoided”.
Alleged liability: Hawaiian Electric’s prevention obligations and decision to maintain power
Hawaiian Electric could foresee that the high winds would “topple utility poles, topple power lines and ignite vegetation”, argues the complaint. The supplier had an obligation “to properly maintain and repair electrical transmission lines and other equipment, (…) and to ensure that vegetation is properly trimmed and maintained to avoid contact with overhead power lines,” the complaint adds.
Hawaiian Electric “also knew that if its overhead electrical equipment started a fire, it would spread at an extremely rapid rate” on an island suffering from drought, the complaint charges.
On August 14, Hawaiian Electric boss Shelee Kimura defended her company’s decision not to cut the power.
“In Lahaina, the electricity powers the pumps that supply the water”, had retorted the leader, pointing out that possible power cuts could also be dangerous for the elderly or sick.
The Lahaina fire was initially declared under control early in the morning, and firefighters were also kept busy with other fires. A second fire broke out in the afternoon, this time engulfing the town. This week, the authorities explained that another 1,100 people were still missing.
