Maui County sues local electric companies in connection with deadly wildfires

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Maui County has filed a lawsuit against the Maui Electric Company and Hawaiian Electric Company following the wildfires across the island.

A aerial view of the burned areas in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug. 17, 2023.The lawsuit alleges that Maui Electric Company, Limited, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc., and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. acted negligently by failing to power down their electrical equipment despite a National Weather Service red flag warning on Aug. 7.

At a press conference on Aug. 15, a representative for Hawaiian Electric said an investigation is underway as to what happened. When pressed about why power lines were not de-energized during powerful winds, the representative said that, unlike California, the state does not have a shut-off program, saying they are "controversial" and not universally accepted, and adding they create a hardship for the vulnerable and people with medical needs.

It continued, "These damages include losses to public infrastructure, fire response costs, losses to revenues, increased costs, environmental damages, and losses of historical or cultural landmarks."

 

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