Hawaii s Public Utilities
Commission on Thursday approved Hawaiian Electric s $190 million
climate adaptation plan, which will better prepare the islands
electric grids for wildfires and severe.
During the first Congressional fact-finding hearing about the deadly Aug. 8 Lahaina fire, members of the US House Energy & Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations grilled Hawaiian Electric President and CEO Shelee Kimura about de-energizing power lines, wildfire mitigation efforts and replacing above ground lines connected to wood poles with buried lines.
Members of Congress today will attempt to get to the bottom of what led to the deadly Lahaina firestorm including questions that to date have gone largely unanswered about the timeline of what happened Aug. 8, Hawaiian Electric Co.’s electrical grid, and wildfire mitigation measures.
Hawaiian Electric is facing numerous lawsuits over the Maui fires and questions are being asked about the companies ability to pay any successful claims.