Hawaiian Electric has accomplished rebuilding the West Maui transmission line along former routes in the Lahaina area with new steel and wood poles and electrical equipment.
The line, serving about 11,000 customers, helps to maintain reliable service as it provides another route of energy delivery to Lahaina as well as Puukolii, Mahinahina, Napili, Kaanapali, and Kapalua.
The Lahaina transmission work involved the planning, design and installation of more than 70 new steel poles along with eight new wood poles specific to current regulated utility safety standards. The steel poles replaced wood poles that were part of the former transmission and distribution route in the area and some of the original wood poles on the route were damaged during the August 2023 windstorm and wildfires.
The work was completed within a desired timeframe and brought additional line crew members from Molokai and Lanai. A re-inspection and vegetation management protocol was performed along the lines, system protection settings were checked, and transmission and system engineers set up auto-transfer settings to help increase the overall service reliability to the west side upon completion of the construction of the transmission lines.
Hawaiian Electric plans to assist in the interconnection of several temporary housing sites of more than 900 housing units in West Maui. It also looks forward to working with the Lahaina community and government officials on community-driven, long-term plans for Lahaina to include the potential to underground electric lines in the future.
