MEDIA RELEASE

Hawaii Electric Light reports that customers in various areas around the island experienced a power interruption this morning.

An estimated 30,000 customers experienced a power interruption at about 10:20 a.m. when Hawaii Electric Light’s CT-4 unit tripped offline at the Keahole Power Plant. Automated load-shedding, which is necessary to protect the island’s power grid, was implemented immediately. Alternate generation was started and most customers were restored by 10:40 a.m. with the exception of about 1,500 customers in Hawaiian Paradise Park. The remaining customers were restored by 11:03 a.m.

“We understand that power outages are disruptive, and we sincerely apologize to our customers who were inconvenienced by this interruption,” said spokeswoman Rhea Lee-Moku. “We are working to identify the cause and will make repairs once the cause is determined.”

Most utility grids occasionally experience a sudden loss of generation. This could occur when a generator unexpectedly trips offline or when weather conditions significantly reduce the amount of energy produced from renewable resources. Loss of generation has a greater and more immediate impact on an island grid because there is no interconnection to other utility grids.
“We appreciate our customers’ patience,” Lee-Moku said. “We want to assure our customers that we have sufficient generation to continue to serve our community.”

Updates on power outages and restoration efforts can be found on Hawaii Electric Light’s Twitter account: @HIElectricLight. To report a power outage, please call (808) 969-6666.