(BIVN) – Hawaiian Electric on Wednesday announced it is launching its Public Safety Power Shutoff program on July 1st at specific areas on the island of Hawaiʻi and across the state, in order to reduce the risk of wildfire.

Under the program, Hawaiian Electric may “preemptively shut off power in certain areas it has identified as high risk during periods of forecast high winds and dry conditions.”

On the Big Island, the program will start in North Hawai‘i between Kohala and Waikoloa, in Kona between Kalaoa and Hōlualoa, and between the Mauna Kea Access Road and Waiki‘i Ranch, affecting about 19,300 customers. The utility has determined that these locations “present higher wildfire risk factors,” and in the future, the company intends to expand the program to cover “all high-risk areas.”

map courtesy Hawaiian Electric

The Public Safety Power Shutoff program is one component of Hawaiian Electric’s three-phase Wildfire Safety Strategy.

From the Hawaiian Electric news release:

With the dry, summer months ahead, Hawaiian Electric is expanding its Wildfire Safety Strategy by launching a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program. Starting July 1, Hawaiian Electric may preemptively shut off power in areas that appear at high risk of wildfire during periods of forecast high winds and dry conditions to help reduce the risk of wildfires. 

“Wildfires have been recognized as a top hazard facing Hawaiʻi. Hawaiian Electric has responded with a multi-pronged approach to mitigating wildfire risk. One component is proactively shutting off power, which is a last line of defense to protect the community. We understand shutting off power can create hardships for affected customers, so this is not something we take lightly,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president and chief operations officer. 

The program will start in the following areas:

Oʻahu: Waiʻanae, Mākaha, Nānākuli, Māʻili, and Ka‘ena Point (approximately 2,700 customers)

Hawaiʻi Island: North Hawai‘i between Kohala (below 18 mile marker) and Waikoloa, in West Hawai‘i between Kalaoa and Hōlualoa, and between Mauna Kea Access Road and Waiki‘i Ranch (approximately 19,300 customers)

Maui County: West Maui, Upcountry, parts of Central and South Maui, and parts of central Molokaʻi (approximately 26,100 customers)

These initial starting areas have a combination of risk factors for wildfires, including exposure to strong winds, dry conditions, vegetation prone to wildfires, and historically higher rates of wildfires. Over time, Hawaiian Electric will expand this program to all high-risk areas on the islands that it serves. For more information and maps, call Hawaiian Electric’s PSPS hotline at 1-844-483-8666 toll-free or go to hawaiianelectric.com/PSPS.  

A PSPS will only be activated in an area if weather data, including statements from the National Weather Service, indicate conditions for heightened wildfire risk. These conditions may include strong winds, low humidity and dry vegetation. Combined, these factors can result in downed trees or flying debris contacting power lines and damaging electrical infrastructure, which can create the risk of wildfires. 

Before activating a PSPS, Hawaiian Electric will notify the public and coordinate with government officials, first responders and emergency response agencies. Hawaiian Electric will provide public notifications through news releases, social media, online outage maps and updates to its website. If weather conditions change suddenly, shutoff may occur with little or no notice. 

During a PSPS activation, power will remain shut off so long as hazardous weather conditions persist. When the weather improves, power lines must be inspected and any damage must be repaired before service can be restored. This may involve ground crews and aerial inspections using helicopters and drones. This process may result in extended outages lasting several hours, possibly even days depending on the location and extent of any damage. 

Shutting off power, even to reduce wildfire risks, has broad impacts across the community. Hawaiian Electric has coordinated with stakeholders from across government and the private sector, including emergency response agencies, government officials, essential service providers and businesses, to ensure public awareness and safety during a PSPS activation. 

Customers on life support with special medical needs are urged to prepare now for the possibility of extended power outages. Hawaiian Electric asks those customers to provide their contact information to receive future notifications in advance of a PSPS by submitting an online Medical Needs Communications Form at hawaiianelectric.com/PSPS. 

Hawaiian Electric says it plans to “enhance and refine its PSPS program to make it more targeted and effective” in the future.

As part of its Wildfire Safety Strategy, the utility says it is already deploying spotters to strategic locations in risk areas to watch for ignition, and shutting off power in those risk areas when a fault or disturbance is detected on a circuit.

Hawaiian Electric also plans to further harden the grid against extreme weather events, and continue work on its $190 million grid resilience plan.