UPDATE – (5 p.m. on Thursday, November 17)

• An unexpected 66 megawatt shortfall of power has forced Hawaiʻi island customers to once again limit their use of electricity from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday night.
• This is the third time this year that the Hawaiian Electric utility has made such a request in order to avoid rolling 30-minute power outages.

From the Hawaiian Electric news release:

Hawaiian Electric is asking Hawai‘i Island customers to limit their use of electricity from 5 to 9 p.m. tonight. The need for conservation is prompted by the unavailability of several large generators. In addition, wind resources are forecast to be lower than usual.

Hawaiian Electric’s steam generator Hill 6 is offline due to emergency repairs and Keahole Power Plant steam turbine annual maintenance work continues. In addition, one unit at Hamakua Energy, an independent power producer, remains offline due to unexpected issues. Combined, these units usually supply about 66 megawatts of power.

The evening peak demand is when electricity use is highest. Using less electricity from 5 to 9 p.m. helps ensure enough power is available during those hours. Conservation methods include turning off air conditioners and unnecessary lighting, shutting off water heaters, and delaying activities like cooking, showering, laundry, and dishwashing. Larger commercial customers, including government, hotels and retail, were asked to voluntarily reduce electricity use.

If necessary, rolling 30-minute outages will be initiated to protect the electric system and prevent loss of power to an even greater number of customers. Hawaiian Electric will notify customers in advance through social media. Please check @HIElectricLight on Twitter for updates.