Full Title: Resilient by Design Utility Series: Hawaiian Electric Companies
Author(s): Smart Electric Power Alliance
Publisher(s): Smart Electric Power Alliance
Publication Date: November 12, 2025
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
This case study spotlights Hawaiian Electric Companies’ (HECO) wildfire resilience strategy. Drawing on interviews and public filings, it explores how HECO integrates quantitative risk modeling, community engagement, and regulatory reporting to manage emerging wildfire threats while aligning grid investments with risk-informed resilience outcomes.
Building on SEPA’s Resilient by Design: Utility Strategies for Climate-Ready Distribution Systems report, this case study highlights how HECO is evolving its planning and investment strategies to address wildfire risk. Following lessons from the 2023 Maui fires, HECO’s Wildfire Safety Strategy applies a four-pillar approach to reduce wildfire risk by up to 72% by the end of 2027: grid hardening, operational practices, situational awareness, and stakeholder partnerships. Through transparent metrics and localized engagement, HECO offers a replicable model for utilities confronting climate-driven hazards.