Posted at 11:45 a.m., Thursday, August 16, 2001

Maui blackout traced to lightning

Advertiser Staff

A power failure that affected about a third of Maui last night may have been caused by lightning striking a substation or transmission line, Maui Electric Co. officials said.

The blackout began about 8:30 p.m. and affected parts of upcountry and central Maui, said utility spokeswoman Barbara Kikuchi.

She said the initial electrical fault happened in Wailuku near the Waiinu substation, triggering the failure of the Kanaha substation in Kahului. Initial reports said lightning in Wailuku might have struck power equipment and caused the failure.

Power was restored to essential services such as the airport, hospital and police station within 45 minutes. Power was restored to all customers by midnight.