Hawaiian Electric installs weather stations in fire-prone areas

HAWAII – Weather stations will provide data to help power companies decide whether to activate or deactivate shutoffs for public safety purposes.
(BIVN) – Hawaiian Electric is installing a network of 52 weather stations in wildfire-prone areas across the four Hawaiian Islands.
A weather station will help businesses prepare for fire weather conditions by providing important information about wind, temperature and humidity.
The information will also help utilities decide whether to initiate proactive shutoffs, the company said.
The project includes the installation of 52 weather stations on four islands. Weather stations installed on Hawaiian Electric’s poles will provide weather data that will help the company decide whether to activate or deactivate the public safety power shutoff system (PSPS). Under the PSPS program, launched July 1, Hawaiian Electric can proactively shut off power in areas with a high risk of wildfires during forecast windy and dry weather conditions.
The $1.7 million project is one of nearly two dozen short-term safety measures Hawaiian Electric is implementing to reduce the likelihood of wildfires associated with the company’s infrastructure in high-risk areas. Approximately 50 percent of the project’s costs will be covered by federal IIJA funds, representing approximately $95 million in grants covering various costs related to Hawaiian Electric’s sustainability efforts. and efforts to mitigate the effects of wildfires.
“These weather stations will play a critical role as we continue to address the growing risk of wildfires,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric Co. senior vice president and chief operating officer. “The detailed information they provide will allow us to more quickly take preventive action to protect public safety.”
The company has completed installation of weather stations at 31 key locations in the first phase of the project. Another 21 units are planned to be installed by the end of July. When completed, there will be a total of 52 weather stations: 23 on Maui, 15 on Hawaii Island, 12 on Oahu and 2 on Moloka Island.
The weather station is solar-powered and records temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction. Western Weather Group is a leading provider of PSPS weather services to the energy industry, helping utilities across the United States respond to wildfire risks.
Hawaiian Electric also shares weather station data with the National Weather Service (NWS), academic institutions and other weather forecasting services to help improve the ability to accurately forecast potential fire weather conditions throughout the state.
The weather station is just one component of Hawaiian Electric’s multifaceted wildfire safety strategy. The company has implemented a number of changes in high-risk areas, including the launch of the PSPS program on July 1, the installation of high-resolution wildfire detection cameras equipped with artificial intelligence, the deployment of observers in risk areas and the implementation of fast travel settings to automatically detect circuits when they occur. If interference is detected, turn off power to the hazardous area circuits.