MEDIA RELEASE

A high wind advisory has been issued for various parts across the state, including the Island of Hawaii and is in effect until 6:00 p.m. this evening, Saturday January 5, 2013. A wind advisory means that there are sustained winds of at least 30 MPH with gusts as high as 50 MPH.  The high winds have impacted HELCO’s system, causing trees, branches and other objects to contact our lines.  As a safety reminder, the public should not approach or touch any downed power lines or equipment. If you see a downed power line you should stay as far away as possible and report any damage or outages to our Dispatch center at 969-6666.  For more information and safety tips and what to do if your power goes out you can visit our website at HELCOHI.COM and click on the “Safety and Emergency” tab. HELCO personnel have been dispatched and are working in various locations around the Big Island to restore power to all customers as soon as possible.

On a separate matter, at 7:10 a.m. this morning, Hawi Renewable Development Wind Farm tripped offline, causing power interruptions to approximately 6,542 customers in Pepeekeo, South Point, and various parts of Kona. Additional HELCO generation was started and service to all customers was restored within 3 minutes. The cause of the interruption is still under investigation.

HELCO apologizes for any disruption these may have caused and sincerely thanks customers for their cooperation and understanding. Mahalo.