Categorized | Featured, Hurricane, News, Weather

Iselle: Updates for Aug. 19, 2014

UPDATED (Noon on 8/19/2014)

Power restoration update from Hawai‘i Electric Light

Hilo, Aug. 19, 2014, 12:00 p.m. – Hawai‘i Electric Light continues to restore electric service to customers who lost power as a result of Tropical Storm Iselle. Service to an additional 300 customers was restored Monday. Currently, an estimated 1200 customers remain without power.

Significant progress has been made in Hawaiian Beaches and Hawaiian Paradise Park. Pockets of customers within these areas may still be out of power. Customers in those areas who are still without power should report it by calling 969-6666.

Areas of work

Today, electrical line crews are focused on the following areas:

  • Nanawale Estates – electrical line crews are working on power lines throughout the subdivision. Work also continues on digging holes to replace utility poles damaged by falling trees.
  • Lanipuna Gardens – electrical line crews are working on repairs on the main line providing service to the subdivision, as well as side streets.
  • Leilani Estates – electrical line crews are working on Kahukai Street and side streets, which suffered extensive damage from fallen trees.
  • Kapoho – electrical line crews are working on lines that provide service to Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots.

“We appreciate our customers’ patience as we make progress. In some neighborhoods, although main power lines have been restored, individual outages may need to be addressed home by home,” said Darren Pai, Hawai‘i Electric Light spokesman.

Restoration progress may also be impacted by access due to storm debris, fallen trees, or other conditions in the field.

Even if customers don’t see crews in their area, we want customers to know that work is being done to restore power to their communities. In many cases, additional work on the electric system is needed in other locations to restore service.

Although crews are making progress and restoration in many areas may be much faster, estimates indicate it could approximately another two weeks – and in some cases, even longer – to restore power to the areas with the most significant damage. Actual restoration times for each location will depend on the extent of the damage.

Customer Information Center in Puna

Hawai‘i Electric Light’s Customer Information Center was relocated on Aug. 16 to Leilani Estates Community Center at 13-3441 Moku Street in lower Puna, and will remain open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – and longer if needed – as the restoration process continues. The center at the Hawaiian Shores Community Center in Hawaiian Beaches is closed.

Company representatives are on hand to answer questions from the public and provide the status of repairing the damage. A charging station also will be available at the center. Customers may bring their electronic devices to the center and get them charged there.

Background on restoration process

The process for restoring service involves many steps that need to be coordinated to ensure public and utility workers’ safety. We also must ensure we deploy the right resources to ensure crews can restore power as quickly as possible. Here’s an overview of the restoration process:

  • Assess damage: Damage assessments by field crews identify the extent of damage and the specific materials – including poles, transformers, and power lines – that need to be repaired or replaced.
  • Clear trees and debris/dig holes: Contracted tree trimming and construction crews then need to clear fallen trees and debris and dig holes for utility poles
  • Install poles, restring lines, and install transformers: Electrical line crews can then be deployed to begin installing the poles, framing the cross arms on the poles, restringing lines, and installing transformers and other equipment.
  • Repair main line first before energizing: Work is first done on the main lines serving subdivisions to restore the connection into those neighborhoods. Side streets can then be restored. Even after power is restored to a neighborhood, there may still be damage at individual homes or pockets of homes within a neighborhood that will need to be addressed separately.

UPDATED (11:13 AM on 8/19/2014)

KHON2 hosts telethon for Hawaii Red Cross disaster relief

HONOLULU, HI- August 19, 2014: On Wednesday, August 20, KHON2 will host a telethon to raise money for the American Red Cross, Hawaii State Chapter.

Phone lines will be open between 4:30-8 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. at (808) 591-6336. Look for on-air coverage during Wake Up 2Day and updates during KHON2 News at 5 and 6 p.m.

Besides distributing over 18,000 relief items like tarps, batteries, water, ice, coolers, and bleach, and serving over 4,000 meals and snacks, Red Cross volunteer nurses and mental health workers have helped 900 residents with health assessments and crisis counseling. Since August 7th, there have been 2,508 overnight stays at 32 Red Cross shelters statewide.

In the midst of Iselle and Julio, the local Red Cross volunteers also responded to 8 residential fires within a span of 9 days. The Red Cross is the only non-profit that is on call 24/7, 365 days/year to respond to disasters big and small.

The Hawaii Red Cross is continuing to distribute relief supplies to targeted areas on the Big Island and Red Cross caseworkers are continuing to follow up with anyone affected by the storms to provide referrals, guidance or additional assistance as needed to help with the recovery process.

The Red Cross has over 200 workers assisting in response to this disaster and about 94% are volunteers.

Stay up to date with the latest information by following “Hawaii Red Cross” on Facebook and Twitter!

A Hawaiian Electric crew works late at night in Hawaiian Paradise Park restoring power to homes for residents. Photography by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

A Hawaiian Electric crew works late at night in Hawaiian Paradise Park restoring power to homes for residents. Photography by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

Hawaii County Civil Defense Community Update

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