8 p.m. update: Power restored to 900 more customers on Oahu’s North Shore who are outside the flood zone

8 p.m. update: Power restored to 900 more customers on Oahu's North Shore who are outside the flood zone

Maui customers also restored after last week's Kona low storm

Release Date: 3/21/2026

Download PDF

HONOLULU, March 21, 2026 - Hawaiian Electric has restored electricity to about 900 more customers in the Kawailoa area on the North Shore of Oahu. This area lost power after Hawaiian Electric de-energized its Waialua substation yesterday for the safety of those in the flood zone. Earlier today, 2,200 customers in the Kuilima/Turtle Bay and Waimea areas were also re-energized.

Damage assessment teams will continue doing inspections as long as there is enough light to see and work safely. About 3,300 customers in the North Shore, Oahu flood zone are expected to remain without electricity until assessment and repairs can be completed. Re-energizing circuits and lines before then puts public safety at risk.

"Safety is our highest priority, and everyone knows water and electricity don't mix. We have to be extremely careful before energizing," said Shari Ishikawa, incident commander. "This is why we're asking customers who may be returning to their properties in the flood zone, as well as those who never evacuated, to turn off their circuit breakers and check for water in electrical outlets. If breakers or outlets have been submerged, they could create a safety hazard when electricity is restored."

In areas with visible flood damage, crews will isolate power lines to ensure that turning electricity back on will not cause safety issues.

On Maui, crews and contractors were able to restore power today to additional customers impacted by last week's Kona low, including all remaining East Maui customers. On Maui and Hawaii Island, crews continue to work on remaining single customer restorations.

Stay Prepared

Customers on Oahu, Hawaii Island and in Maui County should also remain prepared for the possibility of new outages due to heavy rain and wind from the latest storm that is still making its way across the state. On Maui, crews are currently responding to an outage in the Waihee area affecting about 1,000 customers.