Hawaiian Electric CEO speaks at Maui Fires House Hearing.
OAN’s Taylor Tinsley
5:08 PM – Thursday, September 28, 2023
The president of Hawaiian Electric Co. and the island nation’s top public officials testified in a congressional hearing over the devastating wildfires that scorched Lahaina.
On Thursday, a House committee questioned Hawaiian Electric President and CEO, Shelee Kimura, Chairman of Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, Leodoloff Asuncion Jr., and the state’s Chief Energy Officer, Mark Glick.
Wildfires swept across the island of Maui in August and killed at least 97 people, with many still missing.
The fires are estimated to have caused $4 to $6 billion in economic losses and the direct cause has yet to be determined.
“According to an estimate from the University of Hawaii’s Pacific Disaster Center, at least 2,200 buildings were destroyed, with about 86 percent of those buildings being residential,” said committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.).
Lawmakers questioned the role Hawaii’s electrical grid had in the fires and whether it was properly maintained.
Committee Chair Representative Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) questioned why Hawaiian Electric failed to shut off the power despite receiving red flag warnings from the National Weather Service.
The Virginia Representative wanted insight into the company’s protocols and what would warrant them to de-energize.
“In 2019, our teams started developing a wildfire mitigation plan. Based on what they had learned of the plans in California, including their preemptive shutoff programs, that wasn’t the appropriate fit for Hawaii. Hawaii is very unique,” Kimura said.
Kimura said the company had other protocols in place for high winds and a shutoff simply wasn’t in it. The CEO, however, affirmed they are now re-examining.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) is a strategy used in states including California, Nevada and Oregon, that shuts down the power in communities experiencing high wind conditions with increased fire risk.
The plan may not have worked for Hawaii because in California, for example, there is specific legislation that protects utility companies from certain liabilities that may result from power shutoffs.
Also during the hearing, Hawaii’s Chief Energy Officer, Mark Glick, acknowledged policy changes must be made when it comes to preventing damage to power lines and the spread of wildfires through vegetation management.
Both Glick and Kimura also said that utility officials need to work on cooperative efforts with private landowners.
“Our vegetation management is around our lines,” Kimura said. “Our easements and rights of way do not give us the right, it is not a stated right, to take care of the grass under our lines on private property.”
Kimura said she thinks this is a critical issue that all Hawaiian utility officials need to look at.
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What policy changes and protocols are necessary to prevent damage to power lines and the spread of wildfires in Hawaii
The devastating wildfires that engulfed Lahaina, West Maui in August 2023 have prompted a congressional hearing aimed at understanding the role of Hawaiian Electric Co. in the fires. The president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric, Shelee Kimura, along with other top public officials, testified before a House committee on Thursday.
The wildfires that tore through the island of Maui claimed the lives of at least 97 people, with many still missing. The economic losses are estimated to be between $4 to $6 billion, making it imperative to determine the direct cause of the fires.
During the hearing, committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers highlighted the extent of the devastation, stating that “at least 2,200 buildings were destroyed, with about 86 percent of those buildings being residential.” Lawmakers focused on Hawaii’s electrical grid and its maintenance, asking whether it played a role in the fires. Representative Morgan Griffith questioned why Hawaiian Electric did not shut off the power despite receiving red flag warnings from the National Weather Service.
Kimura responded by explaining that the company did not have a protocol in place for power shutoffs based on information learned from California’s wildfire mitigation plan. She stated that Hawaii’s unique circumstances required a different approach. However, she acknowledged the need to re-examine their protocols in light of the recent fires.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) have been implemented in states like California, Nevada, and Oregon to mitigate fire risks during high wind conditions. The plan, which involves shutting down power in affected communities, may not be suitable for Hawaii due to the absence of specific legislation that protects utility companies from certain liabilities resulting from power shutoffs.
Mark Glick, Hawaii’s Chief Energy Officer, admitted that policy changes are necessary to prevent damage to power lines and the spread of wildfires through effective vegetation management. Glick and Kimura both emphasized the importance of cooperative efforts between utility officials and private landowners in addressing these challenges.
The hearing shed light on the need for improved protocols and policies to better prepare for and prevent devastating wildfires like the ones that struck Lahaina. While the direct cause of the fires is yet to be determined, it is crucial that Hawaiian Electric and other relevant entities continue to work towards implementing effective measures to protect communities in the face of increasing wildfire risks.
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