With forecasts for the weekend showing severe weather including possible thunderstorms and strong winds, Hawaiian Electric is closely monitoring conditions and preparing to respond to any damage to the electric system and restore any power outages.

Additional crews will be scheduled to repair any damage, clear fallen trees or vegetation, and restore power.

Customers are urged to review family and business emergency plans, check their supplies and keep a close eye on weather forecasts. 

With the Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl scheduled this weekend, crews are proactively performing additional inspections on the lines and infrastructure that serve broadcast facilities.

Fallen tree branches or vegetation blown about by strong winds are the most common causes of power outages during severe weather. An outage may occur when vegetation falls or contacts power lines. .

In addition, heavy rainfall may create flooding that creates a risk of outages. During these conditions, water may seep underground and contact underground power lines, which can cause outages.

Visit hawaiianelectric.com/stormcenter for preparation and safety tips.