Following the devastating wildfires in Maui in 2023, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) was mandated by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to devise a wildfire mitigation plan and submit it for review.
In January 2025, HECO submitted its plan, but subsequent assessments by experts have highlighted significant deficiencies in its strategy designed to curb wildfire hazards.
The state Division of Consumer Advocacy, which represents ratepayer interests in utility matters, engaged the consulting firm Jensen Hughes to evaluate HECO’s approach.
Jensen Hughes, a firm with extensive experience in developing and auditing wildfire protection plans for various governments, noted that while HECO’s plan met the minimum requirements of the PUC, critical elements were either underdeveloped or not aligned with industry standards.
According to Jensen Hughes, “The plan does not currently meet a sufficient level of safety standard due to several critical deficiencies.”
A major concern raised was the inadequacy of HECO’s wildfire risk maps and modeling of fire hazards, which, per the assessment, are in urgent need of improvement.
Despite acknowledging that HECO’s wildfire safety strategy shows a growing commitment to risk reduction, Jensen Hughes stated it still fails to meet necessary safety thresholds and lacks balanced performance across safety, reliability, affordability, and equity objectives.
As a result of these findings, the Division of Consumer Advocacy has urged the PUC to expedite the review process of HECO’s plan, contingent on the utility providing a timeline on how it intends to address identified deficiencies.
Michael Angelo, who heads the Division of Consumer Advocacy, characterized HECO’s wildfire safety strategy as “a work in progress,” expressing realistic expectations.
“We certainly didn’t expect right out of the gate that it was going to be best in class,” he stated. “Our expectation is that they’ll continue to work toward that.”
A focal point of concern is HECO’s Public Safety Power Shutoff program, which allows the utility to preemptively cut power during hazardous wildfire conditions.
Jensen Hughes pointed out that HECO has not adequately assessed the impact of such power outages on customers, emphasizing the fundamental nature of electricity in daily life.
Angelo remarked, “It’s really important, because electricity is such a fundamental need of people on a day-to-day basis.”
Particularly vulnerable are customers who depend on electricity for medical devices.
Currently, HECO’s program operates on an opt-in system for notifications about power shut-offs to assist medically vulnerable customers, advising them to leave affected areas.
However, Jensen Hughes criticized this approach, noting that some customers with disabilities may struggle to exit affected zones independently.
The firm has recommended that HECO collaborate with community partners to inform and prepare vulnerable customers for potential outages.
Additionally, it highlighted that some utilities across the nation provide means such as transportation to care facilities or portable batteries for medical equipment to assist customers during shut-offs.
The next steps involve the PUC’s decision-making regarding whether to approve, conditionally accept, or reject HECO’s wildfire mitigation plan.
In response to the challenges outlined, HECO expressed its appreciation for the Division of Consumer Advocacy’s insights, stating, “We believe we fulfilled all the requirements set forth by the PUC and that the [Division of Consumer Advocacy] has identified additional capabilities that we generally agree with and are part of our plans for continuous improvement of our Wildfire Safety Strategy.”
Consumer Advocate Angelo recognized the strides made by HECO in minimizing wildfire risks but emphasized the need for ongoing efforts.
“It just needs to keep going in that direction,” he added.
In related developments, the Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative has also submitted a wildfire mitigation plan to the PUC, with evaluations from Jensen Hughes expected to be released by the end of October.
image source from：hawaiipublicradio
