Hawaii Power Crisis Statement Regarding Maui Fire Department August 2023 Wildfires Report By Investing.com

HONOLULU–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE: NYSE:) subsidiary Hawaiian Electric today issued the following response to reports issued by the Maui Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) detailing the results of their investigation into the cause and origin of the Maui 8, 2023 storm and wildfires:

The Lahaina and Upcountry Maui fires were devastating disasters in our state. The loss and pain felt by our families, neighbors, customers and employees will never leave our hearts and we are working with government, the public and our many business partners to keep our communities safe.

We appreciate the commitment of the Maui Fire Department and ATF to conducting a thorough investigation into the events of Aug. 8. We are committed to transparency and accountability from the beginning and we said it is important to understand what caused the fire and its disaster. the effect of making sure it doesn’t happen again. To that end, our company and our employees have fully cooperated with all government investigators, actively providing requested information while aggressively advancing our fire safety measures accordingly.

On Aug. 27, 2023, shortly after the fires appeared, we publicly stated that it appears that our equipment started the fire on the morning of August 8. The Maui Fire Department and ATF determined that the fire that affected Lahaina was accidental in nature as well. largely confirmed the original understanding of the timeline of events as first described by Hawaiian Electric:

• The fire, which was reported at 6:35 a.m., was caused by Hawaiian electrical equipment damaged by strong winds.
• The Maui County Fire Department responded to the small fire, reported it as 100% contained, declared it extinguished, and left the scene.
• The afternoon fire started in the same area shortly after they left and spread to Lahaina.

The report also concluded that the afternoon fire was a prelude to the morning fire.

We deeply regret that our operation contributed to the fire that broke out this morning. Faced with unusual weather and bad conditions, our employees brought their best efforts to their jobs, as they do every day.

We took a close look at our policies and actions that day and made many changes to our operational plans and resilience strategies to ensure we fulfill our responsibility to keep the public safe, especially in extreme weather conditions, which are more frequent and more severe.

In accordance with previous reports published by the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) and the state Attorney General, the reports issued by the Maui Fire Department and the ATF also clarify that the destruction of Lahaina is caused by a combination of many factors and actions. of many groups. We appreciate the work of all agencies working together to understand what happened and to make our communities safer in a changing environment.

As stated in the Lahaina Fire Phase II report published on September 13, 2024: The devastation of the August 2023 fires ¦ was caused by a complex interaction of factors and roots that date back many years. It is important to reiterate, as indicated throughout this report, that no single factor, or set of factors, is directly responsible for the tragic outcome.

Wildfires are a global and emerging problem whose causes are rooted in climate change, history and land management. Mitigating risk will require an all-hands approach. Hawaiian Electric is doing its part by continuing to strengthen the resiliency of the electric system. The company has already taken important steps to reduce the risk of wildfires, even before these reports were issued:

• As part of our Wildfire Safety strategy and broader resiliency efforts, Hawaiian Electric is making more than $110 million in investments through 2024 to strengthen the electrical infrastructure against extreme weather conditions, implement improved plant management that falls under utility surveillance and deploy devices to help prevent wildfires. .
• On July 1, 2024, the company introduced its Public Safety Power Shutdown (PSPS) system, which can be used as a last resort to help prevent utility-related wildfires. In establishing the PSPS program, Hawaiian Electric recognized that working with critical service providers and emergency responders and providing advance notice to the public are critical aspects of ensuring public safety.
• Hawaiian Electric installs 78 AI-enabled fire detection cameras and 52 weather stations and shares data and access with fire departments and other organizations.

As a 132-year-old company and family of employees based in HawaiÊ»i, we are committed to being here in Lahaina, Maui and the entire state for the long term. The global settlement agreement in principle that we reached in August is an important milestone in our work together to support our nation’s recovery.

As we move forward, we will continue to work together to strengthen our state’s infrastructure and identify solutions to keep our communities safe as severe weather conditions intensify in HawaiÊ»i and across the country.

View the source version on businesswire.com:

Media contact
Jim Kelly
808.543.4915
media@hawaiianelectric.com

Source: Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.