More than 178,000 Hawaiian Electric customers lose power as Hurricane Lala batters Hawaii
Said about 178,400 customers were still without power late Tuesday as Hurricane Lala brought high winds and heavy rain across the islands. The
Hawaiian Electric said about 178,400 customers were still without power late Tuesday as Hurricane Lala brought high winds and heavy rain across the islands. The utility warned that everyone still in the dark should brace for long outages.
The blackout stretched from Hawaii island to Oahu, with crews trying to restore service while conditions remained rough. In a written update, company officials said Maui and Oahu customers without power should prepare for possible overnight outages. On Hawaii island, they warned of extended outages in the hardest hit rural areas.
Big losses on Hawaii island and Oahu
As of 7 p.m., about 44,900 Hawaii island customers were without electricity, mostly in Puna, North Kona and South Kohala. Hawaiian Electric said crews had repaired three major transmission lines and sent teams to Puna and Kona Mauka to assess damage. Vegetation crews were cutting and clearing trees and branches that fell onto transmission lines.
On Oahu, the scale was much larger. About 126,500 customers had no power, with the biggest outages reported in parts of Leeward Oahu, Honolulu and Windward Oahu. The utility did not give a full restoration timeline. It said crews were working as fast as conditions allowed.
Maui County also hit
Maui County had about 7,000 customers without power, including areas in Kula, Hā‘ikū, Olinda and Pi‘iholo. The outages added to a night of disruption across the state as the storm’s winds pushed trees and debris into power lines.
In a separate update from local reporting, the number of customers affected statewide rose above 178,000 as Lala continued south of the islands. Hawaii island, Maui County and Oahu all saw widespread service interruptions, with damage assessments needed before repair work could move fully ahead. That step takes time. And in weather like this, time matters.
Repairs under difficult conditions
Hawaiian Electric said restoration efforts depend on checking damage first, then fixing equipment that can bring back power to the most customers. Critical facilities such as hospitals and water systems are being prioritized. The company has also focused on major transmission lines, which feed smaller distribution circuits and can speed restoration once repaired.
The storm has already shown how quickly outages can spread in Hawaii’s island grid, where downed trees, soaked ground and blocked access can slow line crews. Hawaiian Electric said customers should prepare for extended outages. “All customers without power should prepare for extended outages,” the company said, a blunt warning that more darkness could stretch into the night.
