KIUC Continues Restoration and Issues Safety Reminders

LĪHUʻE, KAUAʻI — Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) restored power to approximately 300 additional customers over the past 24 hours as crews continue working across the island to repair damage caused by Hurricane Lowell.

Roughly 83% of KIUC’s members have now been restored. Pocket outages remain in portions of most communities between Moloaa and Waimea. KIUC has four troubleshooters deployed (two on the east side and two on the west side) who are working to restore these smaller outages: most of them consisting of 20 meters or fewer. Incremental progress is being made; however, troubleshooters must also respond to new calls coming in from the emergency operations center.

Kōke‘e remains without power and a restoration timeline has not been developed for this area.

More information on restoration efforts and links to additional resources are available on KIUC’s website: Hurricane Lowell Information and Resources | Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative

Safety: 

Traffic Advisory: Utility crews are working along the side of the road in an attempt to restore power to members. The public is advised to slow down and use caution when driving in the vicinity of crews working on road shoulders. Please ensure their safety as they work day and night to restore power.

Downed Lines: Members are urged to stay well away from downed power lines and always assume that any downed line is energized. Downed lines and other electrical hazards should be reported to KIUC at 808-246-4300, or emergency authorities such as 911 if there is imminent danger. 

Generator Use: Some members are using gas-powered generators to power their homes and businesses. Please note the following generator safety guidance: Keep generators outdoors and at least 20 feet away from your home, with the exhaust pointed away from doors, windows and vents to prevent deadly carbon monoxide from entering. Never plug a generator directly into a household outlet; use properly rated extension cords or a professionally installed transfer switch to prevent dangerous back feeding onto utility lines. Keep the generator dry, allow it to cool before refueling, and follow all manufacturer instructions for safe operation.

North Shore Update: 

KIUC line crews, working alongside HECO personnel, continued repairing damaged lines, poles and electrical equipment on the North Shore today, to prepare for initial restorations which could happen as early as this evening or sometime tomorrow. The initial restoration will involve portions of Princeville and possibly portions of Hanalei. Once those initial restorations are complete, crews will continue work to restore remaining members in communities between Moloaa and Hanalei. That effort could take several days.

These restoration estimates are based on current conditions and may change if crews encounter additional damage, inclement weather or other unforeseen challenges.

The last phase of North Shore restorations will be the communities of Wainiha and Hā‘ena. Due to the extent of damage to transmission infrastructure that feeds those communities, restoration is not expected until late next week at the earliest.

We appreciate members’ continued patience. 

Community Resources: 

We know there are many needs in the community related to loss of power and other impacts from Hurricane Lowell. You can find links to helpful resources on KIUC’s website: Hurricane Lowell Information and Resources | Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative

###

(Photos courtesy Hawaiian Electric Company)