Hawaiian Electric sues four insurers over $80 million Maui wildfire claim

The wildfires, which swept through Maui on August 8, 2023, destroyed much of the historic town of Lahaina. The Hawaiian Electric Companies’ Substation 34, its warehouse and office, and transmission and distribution infrastructure in the Lahaina area were wiped out. Fire temperatures allegedly exceeded 1,800°F — more than eight times the maximum rating for the substation equipment. Experts retained by the plaintiffs concluded that returning the equipment to service could risk “arching, sparks, and wildfire.”