Hawaiian Electric faces scrutiny over fossil fuel reliance and grid resilience

Hawaiian Electric faces scrutiny regarding its reliance on fossil fuel-driven power plants and its preparedness for increasingly frequent and intense storms. Concerns have been raised about the adequacy of the company's above-ground wire delivery system and its ability to maintain power supply during environmental challenges.

While the state of Hawaii has encouraged homeowners to adopt solar power to reduce the load on diesel-powered systems, Hawaiian Electric has entered into contracts with companies such as SunRun to develop home solar arrays integrated into the grid. These arrangements allow homeowners to use their generated power and charge batteries first, with the utility providing supplemental power when solar supply is insufficient.