Hawaiian Electric on Friday announced a series of statewide strategies to alleviate the risk of wildfires in drought-stricken parts of Hawaii.
In the wake of the Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire disaster, Hawaiian Electric is conducting a three-phase strategy throughout the state.
The first phase, focused on immediate actions, will deploy spotters to strategic locations when the National Weather Service issues a red flag warning — issued during conditions of extreme fire risk — and will automatically shut off power lines in areas of high fire risk if any fault or disturbance is detected on a circuit, a policy that Hawaiian Electric notes may result in longer power outages in some areas.
Over time, by deploying more advanced sensors, the need for direct visual confirmation will be reduced, leading into the strategy’s second phase. This phase consists of longer-term projects to harden the power grid against extreme weather events that could also trigger a fire.
Work during the second phase includes greater inspections of power poles and lines, addressing power lines’ sag and tension to avoid sparking, switching from single-strand copper wires to more durable aluminum wires or covered conductors, replacing wooden poles with steel ones, installing cameras and weather sensors and more, according to the utility.
Hawaiian Electric also is making progress on a $190 million grid resilience plan, pending approval by the state Public Utilities Commission.
The third phase of the strategy is even longer-term and will include projects such as more precise weather and risk modeling, installing underground or covered power lines in at-risk areas, more funding for hazard tree removal, increased federal funding for wildfire defense programs and more.
At the same time, Hawaiian Electric is discussing with county and state governments the possibility of a Public Safety Power Shutoff Program that would kill power in certain areas before extreme weather events to reduce wildfire risk.
Such a program would require extensive coordination between government entities, first responders, service providers and the community, and would be a tool of last resort, according to a Hawaiian Electric statement.
“With the events of Aug. 8 fresh in our minds, safety remains our top priority, and as drought conditions continue, Hawaii is seeing heightened risks for wildfires across the state, as we have seen this week with a fire near Mililani,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric’s senior vice president and chief operations officer, in a statement Friday.” We are building upon our current strategy and implementing new and expanded practices to further reduce the risk of wildfires.”