Hawaiian Electric restores power to nearly 180,000 customers after storm

Hawaiian Electric crews have restored power to nearly 180,000 customers as of 4 PM, according to the utility's latest damage assessment. The restoration effort comes as the state deals with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lala, which has weakened from its earlier strength.

As of 2:30 PM, approximately 191,800 customers remained without electricity. The utility said its initial restoration work is focused on repairing transmission lines, which are critical to getting power back to the largest number of customers quickly.

On Oahu, residents have been asked to conserve electricity today to help ease the strain on the grid while repairs are underway. The utility also said that help from mainland electric utilities is anticipated to arrive on Tuesday, which should accelerate the restoration process.

The storm has caused significant damage, with more than 180,000 people without power and around 100 homes damaged across the affected areas. Crews continue to assess the full extent of the damage as they work to bring the remaining customers back online.