Hawaiian Electric made an announcement on Monday, stating that they had de-energized all power lines in West Maui hours before the devastating wildfires occurred on August 8. This contradicts the accusations made in the lawsuits against the company, which claimed that the power lines were kept energized during high fire danger conditions.
According to Hawaiian Electric, a downed power line sparked a fire on the morning of August 8, but it was quickly contained. They also provided records to establish that the power lines to Lahaina were de-energized for six hours prior to the afternoon fire.
CEO Shelee Kimura expressed surprise and disappointment at the rush to court by the County of Maui, even before completing its own investigation. She criticized the lawsuits as factually and legally irresponsible. Kimura emphasized the importance of being a resilient community that is accountable to each other and to Hawaii's future.
Maui county's lawsuit claimed that the severe losses caused by the wildfires could have been prevented if Hawaiian Electric had shut down power at the appropriate time. The lawsuit had an impact on the company's stock, but the news release on Sunday helped in recovering the shares when trading resumed on Monday.
The origin of the wildfires that claimed over 100 lives and caused billions in damage is still under investigation. The involvement of an external investigator has been initiated by Hawaii to determine the cause.