HEI - Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc.

02/17/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/17/2026 13:26

9 a.m. update: Potential for Public Safety Power Shutoff persists on Maui and Hawaii Island

9 a.m. update: Potential for Public Safety Power Shutoff persists on Maui and Hawaii Island

Hawaiian Electric closely monitoring hazardous weather conditions

Release Date: 2/17/2026

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HONOLULU, Feb. 17, 2026 - Hawaiian Electric teams are continuing to closely monitor weather conditions that may require a Public Safety Power Shutoff within the next 12 to 24 hours in parts of Hawai'i Island and Maui. Parts of Hawaii Island and Maui are still experiencing strong gusts, with the strongest gusts expected in West Maui and north Kohala, especially along leeward slopes and valleys where winds tend to accelerate as they move downhill. Hawaiian Electric will continue to monitor forecasts as winds are expected to increase in the next few days.

Hawaiian Electric's criteria for determining a shutoff calls for the following criteria to be met concurrently: persistent drought conditions, wind gusts 45 mph and higher, and relative humidity below 45%. The company analyzes data from weather stations and cameras near its infrastructure in high-risk areas with potential for fire spread. Wind gusts can be stronger in higher elevations than in residential areas.

If necessary, Hawaiian Electric may implement its Public Safety Power Shutoff program and proactively shut off power in communities with high exposure to wildfire risk. Customers in these areas are urged to initiate their own emergency plans and prepare for the possibility of extended power outages. If conditions suddenly become hazardous, the company may have to shut off power with little or no notice. Any current outages are not related to the company's PSPS program.

What we're doing

At Hawaiian Electric, our PSPS emergency response plan includes:

  • Closely monitoring weather
  • Coordinating with state and county emergency response officials
  • Pre-positioning Hawaiian Electric crews and their equipment at strategic locations to speed restoration
  • Urging customers to prepare for possible power outages with safety as their main focus

For more information and maps of areas that have high wildfire risk, go to hawaiianelectric.com/PSPS or call Hawaiian Electric's PSPS toll-free hotline at .

HEI - Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. published this content on February 17, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 17, 2026 at 19:26 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]