Hawaiian Electric to Pay $4 Billion for Maui Wildfires Settlement

Hawaiian Electric Industries and other defendants have agreed to a $4 billion settlement over the deadly Maui wildfires. The utility is responsible for $1.99 billion of the settlement. The lawsuits claim the company failed to prevent the fires by not shutting off power lines despite high wind warnings.

Hawaiian Electric Industries is among the defendants who have agreed to pay $4 billion to settle lawsuits over the deadly Maui wildfires, the company confirmed on Friday.

The utility, which operates on the island and its parent company, Hawaiian Electric, will be liable for $1.99 billion of the settlement amount before tax. This figure includes $75 million previously contributed to the One Ohana Initiative. Settlement payments are expected to commence following judicial approval and are projected to start in mid-2025, according to a company statement.

Hawaiian Electric, along with other defendants including county officials, faced lawsuits related to the blazes that swept through Maui last year. These fires resulted in at least 100 fatalities, the destruction of thousands of properties, and an estimated $5 billion in damages. The lawsuits allege that the utility did not heed warnings to shut off power lines amidst high winds, which potentially caused the wildfires.