Power interruption scheduled for June 26 in North Kohala
Prepping for an Unexpected Blackout in North Kohala
Hey there neighbors,
Here's the lowdown on an upcoming power outage happening in North Kohala, affecting our very own communities of Hawi, Kapaau, and Halaula, as well as those on Kohala Mountain Road between mile markers 6-9 and 11-19.
Mark your calendars, as the power outage will commence around 9 PM on Thursday, June 26th, and is expected to last till around 6 AM on Friday, June 27th.
Now, for those with a medicine cabinet full of prescriptions or rely on life-sustaining equipment, here's what you need to do – line up either a backup power source like a generator or extra batteries, or make arrangements to bug out to a location away from the impact zone during the blackout. Remember, safety first!
Don't forget, there'll be some partial road closures going on at various spots on Kohala Mountain Road and Akoni Pule Highway, so keep your eyes peeled for them and drive with care when encountering the work zones.
To minimize disruptions, our helpful folks at Hawaiian Electric are performing this work late at night, focusing on maintenance, upgrades for reliability, resilience, and wildfire safety.
In case you're wondering what you can do to stay powered up, here are some handy tips:
- Unplug sensitive equipment before the outage hits to prevent any potential damage caused by power surges during restoration.
- Keep your fridge and freezer doors closed to help preserve your frozen goodies.
- Stock up on non-perishable food, water, and emergency supplies.
- Keep your phones, laptops, and other devices charged before the outage, and consider investing in power banks.
- Have some flashlights and batteries on standby for when the lights go out.
- Don't forget about a good old-fashioned battery-powered radio to keep up with news and updates during the outage.
Of course, it's always wise to stay informed, and Hawaiian Electric's website (hawaiianelectric.com/prepare) is a great resource for additional advice on power outage preparedness.
Lastly, a quick heads-up from the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply – they recommend storing enough water for your needs throughout the night. They'll be setting up a temporary spigot near the Ka'auhuhu Transfer Station for community use during the power outage.
So there you have it, folks. Brush up on your flashlight skills, stock up on snacks, and remember – safety and preparedness are key! Let's all make it through this blackout in stride!
Be prepared for possible traffic disruptions on Kohala Mountain Road and Akoni Pule Highway due to road closures during the blackout. Also, keep an eye on the weather forecasting, as the combination of the power outage and adverse weather conditions could make things challenging for our community.
