Big loss: Charred buildings and cars are seen in the aftermath of the Maui Fires in Hawaii last year. Lawsuits brought on behalf of thousands of home and business owners claim that Hawaiian Electric failed to shut off power lines despite warnings of wildfires. — AFP
NEW YORK: Hawaii’s largest utility says it has agreed to pay roughly half of a more than US$4bil legal settlement that will compensate victims of last year’s deadly Maui wildfires.
Blazes tore through Maui on Aug 8, 2023, killing over 100 people, destroying the historic coastal town of Lahaina and causing damage estimated at US$5bil.
The lawsuits brought on behalf of thousands of home and business owners claimed that Hawaiian Electric failed to shut off power lines despite warnings that high winds might blow them down and spark wildfires.
The settlement calls for the utility and its parent Hawaiian Electric Industries to pay US$1.99bil. This includes US$75mil already contributed to the One Ohana Initiative – a fund that provides financial support to those who lost loved ones and suffered serious injuries.
Hawaiian Electric Industries is the largest supplier of electricity in Hawaii, supplying power to 95% of its population through its electric utilities: Hawaiian Electric Company serving Oahu, Hawai’i Electric Light Company serving The Big Island, and Maui Electric Company serving Maui, Lanai and Molakai.
The utility and other defendants did not admit to any legal liability as part of the settlement terms which were agreed upon after four months of mediation.
Hawaiian Electric had previously argued that its power lines were responsible for the earlier of two fires in Lahaina, but the lines were shut off after that and the town was gutted by a different fire which started later in the afternoon and could not be contained by the county’s fire department.
“Achieving this resolution will allow all parties to move forward without the added challenges and divisiveness of the litigation process,” the utility’s chief executive, Shelee Kimura, said in the statement.
The settlement would also “bring greater certainty for the firm, enabling it to begin to reestablish financial stability,” the statement said. The payments are expected to begin from mid-2025 after judicial review and approval, it added. — Reuters
