Hawaiian Electric (HE) has refuted allegations that it negligently kept its power lines energized during high fire risk conditions, which led to the catastrophic wildfires in West Maui on August 8.
The energy company stated that it had de-energized all its power lines in the region hours before the fires erupted, contradicting the claims made in lawsuits filed by Maui county and other parties.
In a press release, HE clarified that while a downed power line did ignite a fire on the morning of August 8, the situation was promptly addressed and the fire was "100% contained." The company further asserted that records "conclusively establish" that the power lines to Lahaina had been de-energized for six hours prior to the afternoon fire.
"We were surprised and disappointed that the County of Maui rushed to court even before completing its own investigation," expressed Shelee Kimura, CEO of HE. She criticized the lawsuits as "factually and legally irresponsible."
Kimura also denounced the legal actions as being "inconsistent with the path that we believe we should pursue as a resilient community committed and accountable to each other as well as to Hawaiis future." She warned that the company might be forced to demonstrate the county's responsibility for the events of that day in court.
As reported by Reuters, Maui county argued in its lawsuit that the "severe and catastrophic" losses resulting from the wildfires "could have easily been prevented" if HE had taken timely action to shut down power.
The lawsuits had a negative impact on the energy company's stock, which saw a decline in the days following the legal action. However, the company's shares rebounded following the release of the statement on Sunday, when trading resumed on Monday.
The wildfires in Lahaina and surrounding areas resulted in the tragic loss of over 100 lives and caused billions in damage. The cause of the wildfires remains undetermined, prompting Hawaii to engage an external investigator to uncover the truth.
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