Maui County is suing power company Hawaiian Electric over damage caused by the island’s wildfires.
The lawsuit was filed in the Second Circuit Court in Hawaii and lists Maui Electric Company, Limited, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc. and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. as defendants.
The companies are accused of negligence in failing to turn off their equipment following the August 7 alert from the National Weather Services.
There was evidence that Hawaiian Electric equipment helped speed up the wildfires that ravaged the island.
The Maui wildfires that broke out on August 8 killed 115 people, but the death toll is expected to rise as more than 1,000 people are still missing.
Following this month’s devastating wildfires, questions are surfacing about the utility’s role in the blaze that has claimed 115 lives so far
An aerial view of buildings damaged by a large wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii
The lawsuit alleges that the power lines were still live when strong winds destroyed them and ignited dry grass and bushes, causing the deadly fires.
According to Maui County, failure to maintain the system and power grid caused system outages and started three fires on the island.
“Maui County stands with the people and communities of Lāhainā and Kula to recover damage to public resources and to rebuild from these devastating utility-caused fires,” the lawsuit reads.
“This damage includes loss of public infrastructure, firefighting costs, loss of revenue, increased costs, environmental damage and loss of historical or cultural landmarks.”
The Lahaina and Kula fires burned over 3,000 acres of land, destroyed more than 2,220 buildings and caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damage. Maui is seeking civil damages of an unspecified amount.
Hawaiian Electric was on trial for failing to shut down power lines when high winds sparked dangerous fires.
Multiple reports have surfaced detailing allegations that the company’s failure to properly maintain its network led to the disaster.
Videos have also surfaced on Facebook purporting to show power lines intertwined with overgrown trees and vegetation.
Investigators could not determine the cause of the fires.
Hawaiian Electric CEO Shelee Kimura said during an Aug. 14 news conference that the company does not have an automatic shutdown schedule that other utilities use to contain fires.
Taken at the Maui Bird Conservation Center near Makawao, this image appears to show a bright flash in the forest, which many believe was caused by a tree falling onto a power line
Hawaiian Electric CEO Shelee Kimura said during an Aug. 14 news conference that the company does not have an automatic shutdown schedule that other utilities use to contain fires
She said it could harm the elderly and hospital patients, and hamper water pumps, which are essential for fighting fires.
A company representative said an investigation was underway to find out what happened.
The company’s stock price plummeted and was given a junk rating by S&P after lawsuits were filed on behalf of victims alleging the company was responsible for the deadly Maui wildfires.
Lahaina residents claimed in one of the lawsuits that Hawaiian Electric was responsible for the fires after they failed to shut down power lines, despite warnings from the National Weather Service that high winds could blow those lines away and start fast-spreading wildfires.
“The defendants’ failure to turn off power during these dangerous fire conditions resulted in deaths, serious injuries, hundreds of homes and businesses destroyed, thousands of people displaced and damage to many of Hawaii’s historical and cultural sites,” he said Defendants said the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which addresses gross negligence and private harassment claims, among other things.
Hawaiian Electric has agreed to investigate their role and said they would cooperate in a separate investigation into the fire launched by the Hawaii Attorney General last week.
“We all believe it’s important to understand what happened.” And I think we all believe it’s important to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again,” said CEO Kimura.
According to the company’s website, Hawaiian Electric provides electricity to 95% of Hawaii residents.
The wildfires caused the company’s stock price to fall 68 percent from $37.36 on August 7 to $11.86 on August 24.
A rush sale of the utility’s stock has caused its stock price to plummet to levels not seen since 1987, and bondholders have bought off the company’s debt at huge discounts.
According to official documents, the pursuit of renewable energy takes precedence over forest fire prevention.
The company, which provides electricity to 95 percent of locals, concluded during the 2019 wildfires that it needed to do more to keep its power lines from putting out sparks.
It has promised to conduct drone surveys to identify areas prone to wildfires and how to help keep residents and infrastructure safe.
But four years later, very little followed, and only $245,000 was invested in wildfire-specific projects on the island between 2019 and 2022, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Instead, after a 2008 surge in oil prices, Hawaiian Electric focused on switching to renewable energy because the company relies on imported petroleum for 80 percent of its energy supply.
In 2015, lawmakers passed legislation mandating that the state must obtain 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2045, the first such requirement in the United States
Hawaiian Electric announced in 2017 that the goal would be reached five years ahead of schedule. However, according to some experts, this concentration may have come at the expense of firefighting.
Their dedication to the cause has been linked to the fires and why they may be facing financial ruin and pending litigation.
Hawaiian Electric also told the WSJ that routine utility work, including trimming or removing trees and upgrading, replacing, and inspecting equipment, minimized the risk of wildfires.
It reported spending approximately $84 million on maintenance and tree care in Maui County since 2018.
Teams of more than 400 people have been working across Maui to repair transmission lines and restore power to schools, water facilities and hotels designed to serve as emergency shelters.
Hawaiian Electric announced Thursday that it had restored power to more than 80 percent of its customers.
A cash stash of $143.6 million was reported in June, and analysts think that will be more than enough to fund the current cleanup.
has reached out to Hawaiian Electric for comment.