Hawaiian Electric focused obsessively on renewable energy while only spending $245,000 on wildfire safety
Hawaiian Electric knew about the threat of wildfires but waited for years to act
They focused energy on renewables – only investing $245,000 on wildfire safety
The company said it would investigate any role its infrastructure may have played in the Maui wildfires and would cooperate with a separate probe
again self policing
Hawaii’s largest electricity supplier prioritized its pursuit of renewable energy over wildfire prevention, regulatory filings show.
In the wake of the devastating Maui wildfires that killed at least 111 people in Lahaina and left hundreds THOUSANDS more unaccounted for, questions are swirling around the role the island’s major utility company played in the disaster.
Hawaiian Electric, which provides power to 95 percent of locals, concluded during the 2019 wildfires that it needed to do more to prevent its power lines from emitting sparks.
It vowed to conduct drone surveys to identify areas vulnerable to wildfires and determine how to help keep residents and infrastructure safe.
But four years later, very little had followed and only $245,000, between 2019 and 2022, had been invested on wildfire-specific projects on the island, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing regulatory filings.
that comes out to $81,666. 666 per year vs 12 bn in damage, greatest land deal ever sicne LA purchase for some beads
They’ve agreed to investigate their role and said they would cooperate with a separate probe into the fire launched by Hawaii’s 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 it doesn’t happen again,’ Hawaiian Electric’s chief executive, Shelee Kimura said.
Hawaiian Electric also told the WSJ that routine utility work, including trimming or removing trees and upgrading, replacing and inspecting equipment is how they kept wildfire risk at a minimum.
It said it has spent about $84 million on maintenance and tree work in Maui County since 2018.
maintenance to make renewable green energy of maintenace to prevent fires
h/t Coastie Patriot