Local officials closed schools, government offices, courthouses, the state Legislature, and all University of Hawaiʻi campuses due to predicted high winds and heavy rains Monday.
Darren Pai, Hawaiian Electric Company manager of external communications, joined The Conversation early Monday morning to discuss power outages over the Super Bowl weekend — and how to prepare for future weather.
Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui Nui residents can track Hawaiian Electric power outages here. Kauaʻi residents can track KIUC outages here.
Interview highlights
On how winds affect power outages
DARREN PAI: Winds have been the main culprit in many of the outages that we've seen on all islands. In conditions like this, what you will see is those strong winds, they'll break down tree branches that have been weakened. They'll blow debris around, whether it’s leaves or plant life or just rubbish. And when those things fly through the air and come into contact with power lines, or when fallen tree branches come into contact with power lines, that can cause a power outage. And we're seeing that pretty widespread all across different islands that we serve. We've had hundreds of employees and contractors out in the field in force, clearing away debris, cutting back trees, and repairing any damage that's resulted from all that. So it's an ongoing, very fluid and dynamic process. And our crews have been out in force trying to get the lights back on as quickly as possible.
On where power outages were being felt the most
PAI: It's largely where the weather impacts have been strongest, and we've seen it pretty broadly across all the different islands. There have been some outliers. There have been a few large outages that were caused by motor vehicle accidents drivers running into poles, and that's resulted in some extended outages in some areas, because there's more extensive repairs that are required from those situations. Whether or not those are related to the weather, that's up for the police and other investigating authorities to determine. Our crews have just been responding to these situations as they've developed. One thing of note, though, is that when you do have really strong winds like this, not only do they cause outages, but they complicate the process of restoring power because there are safety guidelines that we have to follow to make sure that our crews don't get injured on their while they're performing their work. An example is, when the wind gets get really strong, it makes it dangerous to operate the hydraulic boom on our bucket trucks. It's a process we work as safely as possible to make sure that we don't want to have any type of injuries, either to our employees or to the public. And we also know that people want to get their power back on as quickly as possible.
On customers still experiencing outages, safety precautions
PAI: If you are experiencing a power outage, please know that we are working to get it back on as quickly as possible. You can follow us on our social media channels, and also download our mobile app, you get the latest updates — that's really the most expedient way of getting the latest information, and if you do come across any type of down power lines or down lines on the road, don't approach it yourself. If there is an emergency, if there is a life-threatening situation, call 911, or you can call one of our trouble lines on each of our islands to report the downed line. Don't try to move it yourself. Have the experts take care of it.
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This story aired on The Conversation on Feb. 9, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Hannah Kaʻiulani Coburn adapted this interview for the web.
