Electrical Services

Power Quality Engineers

If further investigation is needed, Hawaiian Electric has specialized power quality equipment and a group of trained Power Quality Engineers to gather and analyze data and provide recommendations and possible solutions to you. Please call (808) 543-4756.

Newsletter Updates

To increase communication and transparency, the Customer Installation Division (CID) of Hawaiian Electric created "E Hoomaikai", which means "to improve." Using these periodic emails, the Customer Installation Division hopes to improve communication with you and provide a clearer path to getting your projects completed on schedule. Find updates and information compiled from past quarterly emails (up to four) below.

E Hoomaikai #15 (September 2023)

Supply chain challenges continue

Internationally, transformer manufacturers in general continue to struggle to meet demands and deliver transformers that have been ordered in a timely manner. The lead times have extended for some high demand units to almost three years!

Our Materials team continues to work hard with additional partners and on various options for building the inventory we need for critical system and customer spares, as well as new services, driven by growth with military privatization, affordable housing, electrification of transportation and continued growth with Customer Energy Resources.

We ask you to identify your plans and needs early and submit your service request application, then a planner can be assigned and a transformer can be ordered as soon as possible. We also ask developers to be realistic about their schedule and plans and phase out installations when possible, versus requiring all transformers on the same date.

Customer demand history for consultants

Due to customer privacy concerns, our administration clerks can no longer provide consultants with demand history for customers without prior authorization. Anyone requesting this information will need to be authorized on the customer’s account. Please work with our Commercial Client Services representatives to get authorization from the end customer.

Milestone information available from online application tool

If you enter an application for service with our online Customer Interconnection Tool (CIT) as a requester, or if you are listed as a stakeholder for a particular service request that is created, please be aware that you can view the status of your project by clicking on the Milestones tab. This will allow you to get the information when you need it, and avoid calls to our administration clerks or planners, allowing them to focus on completing work for you versus just providing a status.

Reminders

Contractors/Consultants – Please follow the Electric Service Installation Manual (ESIM) 9th Edition, which is online and provides the requirements our inspections will be based on. Building your electrical equipment and supporting infrastructure in compliance with the ESIM will help ensure smoother and faster inspections and Hawaiian Electric installations.

Consultants – Please complete revisions to drawings in a timely manner so your consultant drawings can be approved. This allows us to proceed with the design, and you can proceed with the electrical infrastructure build.

Developers/Consultants – For the safety of our crews, please remember that we recently implemented a policy in which we will no longer dead-end cables in a manhole or handhole. All installed cables should be connected to a transformer or a switch.

E Hoomaikai #14 (May 2023)

Where/when is billing information required?

Some requests are failing completeness review because the requester did not provide billing information. In the CIT tool, there is currently no field for this information. In the interim, please input the Billing/Cost information below in the Comments box under Submittals:

  • Existing Account
    • Account Number
  • New Customer/Account Number Needed
    • Business
      • Business name
      • Federal Tax ID # & General Excise Tax ID #
      • Authorized contact person
      • Mailing address
      • Phone number
      • Email address
    • Personal
      • Customer name
      • Mailing address
      • Phone number
      • Email address
      • Hawaiian Electric administrator will contact for Social Security Number (SSN)

Contractors must notify planners after completing meter installation

We ask that contractors notify their assigned planner as soon as possible after installing their new metering equipment. This helps us schedule our inspection and avoids situations in which contractors assume we’ll be notified by the city/county inspection release. In addition to notifying the planner that the meter equipment installation is complete, you can also check the Milestones tab in the CIT tool to confirm if we’ve received the city/county release.

Submit removal and temporary service requests early, especially for demolitions, renovations

Whenever you have a project that includes plans to demolish a home or do extensive renovations that require removal of service and/or temporary power, please submit your removal or temporary power service request at least one to two months prior to demolition. Once received we can work with you to plan and schedule the removal or establish temporary power prior to demolition work around our meter equipment and/or service line.

No hot-capped or dead-ended cables in manholes

Our operations team has long expressed concern about safety issues regarding their inability to effectively test cables that are hot-capped or dead-ended in a manhole/handhole. The testing is required prior to starting work to confirm circuits involved, grounding and whether circuits are energized.

After considering several other solutions, we’ve agreed that the best options to address this are as follows:

  • Option 1 - Developers and consultants should design electrical infrastructure cables in such a way that cables must be terminated from one device to another (transformer or switchgear), and not leave them hot-capped inside manholes/handholes.
  • Option 2 - Infrastructure cables should not be installed until they are required for service connections.
  • Option 3 - Install a temporary termination switchgear or related equipment for testing purposes above ground. This also will require a temporary easement from the developer.

Estimated energization dates

Because the current online service application doesn’t ask for estimated dates when service will be needed, we ask that requesters provide a realistic and reasonable estimated date when power is required and include that in the Comments section of the application under Submittals.

Reminder

OAHU ONLY - For small residential requests, an E2 building permit is required for Hawaiian Electric to accept your service request. However, there is an option to pay a $500 (overhead) or $1000 (underground) deposit for us to create the service request without the required electric permit. This upfront payment will help provide Hawaiian Electric with sufficient financial commitment to have the request opened, but note the E2 building permit will still be needed to complete the project.

E Hoomaikai #13 (February 2023)

Photovoltaic (PV) rules to remember

  • PV connection/tap locations must be installed beyond the Hawaiian Electric metering equipment, including Current Transformers (CTs) when applicable/present, or on the load side as explained on page 80 of our Electric Service Installation Manual (ESIM).
  • Non-Hawaiian Electric personnel are not allowed to enter the sealed, line-side compartments of switchboard/meter enclosures. Cutting Hawaiian Electric seals to enter these compartments is considered tampering.
  • Mixed line and load conductors in sealed compartments are not allowed (ESIM page 46).
  • All meter clearances should be met as outlined in our ESIM (pages 38 and 81), and the ground level of the working space in front of the meter should be relatively level/flat.

Please also note that our Customer Energy Resources (CER) team is not responsible for reviewing the meter design when they provide their conditional approval of the PV system design. CER's conditional approval only covers the PV design layout and sizing. The contractor is still responsible to design and build everything to applicable codes and standards.

Service requests before construction

To avoid additional work, cost, and time, please submit service requests before construction and before City/County inspections or releases. On Oahu, we have been voiding City and County Releases received before any associated service request, which has caused delays and resubmittals, etc.

Material supply chain update

As we started reporting early last year, labor and raw materials shortages, manufacturing and production delays, high demand, logistical challenges, increased fuel costs, and COVID-19 have all contributed to unprecedented lead times for some materials, particularly with pad-mounted transformers.

Hawaiian Electric currently has adequate inventory on hand for more commonly used units (i.e. smaller 1-phase and 3-phase units) to meet historical demand, and there are orders in the pipeline and production slots reserved. However, for the less common units (i.e. larger 3-phase units), existing inventory is scarce and there is a cap on the number of production slots that can be reserved per month. Combined, this could result in lengthy delays in providing electrical service if orders are not placed in a timely fashion.

While Hawaiian Electric continues working to aggressively ramp up inventory to peak usage levels, we kindly request that you:

  • Communicate development plans and submit electric service and material requirements as early as possible, especially for temporary construction power
  • Provide as accurate a schedule as possible, including realistic phased schedules for large developments and high-quantity needs
  • Immediately update Hawaiian Electric of any schedule changes
  • Promptly make payments as requested

Reminders:

  • Ensure your service requests are submitted - A lot of requestors forget to click the “Submit” button when submitting or resubmitting an application.
  • Our Electric Service Installation Manual (ESIM) is a great reference and resource that is available on our website (link below) and provides information on our requirements to install equipment, obtain service, etc.
  • Other references that can help provide general milestones, responsibilities and timeframes are the residential customer brochure and large commercial customer brochure.

E Hoomaikai #12 (November 2022)

Upcoming AMI/Telecom requirements

Please keep an eye out for more information on meter room requirements and facilities to allow for external/wireless communication coverage with commercial and multi-dwelling unit residential buildings. We will use the Electric Service Installation Manual (ESIM), email forums, and potential virtual meetings to help communicate the new requirements as they are finalized.

Electrical & Transformer vault rooms

Most businesses and apartment buildings have either an electrical or transformer vault room. While electrical rooms may contain Hawaiian Electric meters as well as customer-owned equipment, transformer vault rooms typically contain only Hawaiian Electric equipment (e.g. transformer, switchgear). However, both electrical and transformer vault rooms are the responsibility of the customer/property owner, which includes the safety and maintenance of door(s), window(s), walls, roof, flooring, etc.

Reminders:

  • At all times, Hawaiian Electric requires our authorized personnel to have clear, safe access and working clearances to customer-owned electrical and transformer vault rooms.
  • In addition, these vault rooms should be regularly maintained or inspected by the property owner, at minimum every 36 months, to address any issues before they become a high risk for power service and operations.
  • In the case of structural issue with these vault rooms (e.g. rusted door, damaged/deteriorating wall/ceiling, etc.), the property owner should contact a licensed electrician and structural/civil engineer to address the problem. The electrician and/or engineer should determine a solution and make a prompt service request with Hawaiian Electric using the CIT-CID tool.

Sample service requests for the electrical or transformer vault room include:

  • Stand-by person* – Allows temporary access to the transformer vault room for licensed electricians or required contractors to perform maintenance, inspection, or repair work.
  • Disconnect/Reconnect* – Addresses need by licensed electricians to perform work that requires disconnection/reconnection of electric services supplied to the electrical or transformer vault room.

*A service fee will apply, based on the time and scope of the services required by Hawaiian Electric personnel.

Protecting your private information

Due to the increasing sensitivity and potential exposure to cybercriminals, Hawaiian Electric may require a letter of authorization for requests of certain “private” information such as demand history, transformer size, phase, voltage, rate schedule, etc. With guidance from our Legal Department and others, we will decide if a common solution across the entire company makes sense.

Reminder

Only American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) characters can be used or recognized by our CIT-CID tool. These are the typical characters that you would find on a standard keyboard. Non-ASCII characters, or “Higher ASCII” is not accepted when completing applications for service or working within the CIT-CID tool.

E Hoomaikai #11 (August 2022)

Electrical permit requirement

Please ensure the electrical permit or the E-2 phase is on your building permit from the start. We are working to ensure that we catch this upfront as a requirement before opening the service request. If your request slips through, then the City/County release comes in and our administration clerks notice there’s no E-2, they will not accept the City/County release. Please note that customers must get the electrical permit (E-2) from the City/County when applying for your building permit.

Maui and Kona resource challenges

We recently shared in our virtual customer meeting for Maui that we’re working to hire more planners. We also face similar staffing issues in Kona. While we work to hire more employees, we’re also utilizing contracted resources to fill gaps. These staffing challenges have affected service and responsiveness on Maui and in Kona.

Underground secondary cable guides

Who owns and installs secondary cables? How many sets and what size secondary cables can be accommodated by a Hawaiian Electric transformer? These are examples of the more commonly asked questions during the course of a project. As such, in an effort to be more consistent in our application of requirements for underground services from a pad-mount transformer, the following guides were created for future reference by both our company as well as customers. Note the effective date for these guides were March 31, 2022.

Reminders to expedite service

  • Remember to click the “Submit” button when completing your application for a service request. If you don’t hit submit, we won’t know you attempted to submit an application, and it will not be processed.
  • If you do click “Submit,” but there are missing items or additional information required, you must resubmit with those additional items to complete the service request process. Until that’s done your request will not be assigned to a planner and will be voided/cancelled after 60 days if there is no response to our request for additional information.
  • When you are notified that there is additional information needed for your service request to be completed and assigned to a planner, please respond promptly so that your project isn’t unnecessarily delayed, or voided/cancelled after 60 days.
  • Please be sure to provide the correct meter number(s) for the service you are requesting. Meter numbers are nine (9) numerical digits (add 0s to the beginning if it is less than nine digits, e.g. 000123456), and are preceded by three alpha characters depending on your county [e.g. MPX (Oahu), MMX (Maui) and MHX (Hawaii Island)]. If you click on “Unsure of Meter Number,” under “METER NUMBERS” when you’re going through the application with the CIT-CID tool, a reminder of this will be displayed.
  • Be sure to submit accurate load information. An engineer should be consulted to calculate this, and you should not guess. Although we appreciate you working to submit applications early, an inaccurate load affects the assignment of our planner and our design. We do not oversize our transformers. If a job needs to be reassigned or redesigned, delays of up to three to four months or more should be expected. We encourage you to work with your electrical engineer or licensed electrician to calculate an accurate load to be submitted with your application for service.
  • For affordable housing projects that are tax exempt, please inform your planner/designer/engineer prior to receiving the rough cost letter. This is so that the proper cost, deposit and documentation can be provided with the initial rough cost – or prior to final cost proposal at the latest. This avoids having to issue a refund.
  • When referencing a job, the Request Number, and/or the Service Address, are the preferable project identifiers for the planners, versus the Project ID.

E Hoomaikai #10 (June 2022)

Material delay challenges continue

Last quarter, we reported that the pandemic has triggered significant supply chain issues that have impacted manufacturing and delivery. Our materials team continues to work closely with our suppliers, while managing our orders and inventories to minimize impact to customers. We continue to look at alternatives and contingency plans to support our customers in these extraordinary times.

Customer Interconnection Tool (CIT) is now open for electrical service applications

Our online application has been replaced with the Electrical Service Request Application within the CIT platform. Improvements to our electrical service request process will require at least a couple of phases, the first of which was released in March 2022.

Features Include:

  • Intuitive Application: Requirements based on the scope of your project
  • Visibility: Real-time project status as it advances through its lifecycle
  • Correspondence History: The CIT tool maintains a history of all correspondence related to your project
  • Stakeholder Communications: By including stakeholder(s) in their applications, contractors can rest assured that all parties are kept in the know on project status changes

Account setup in the CIT tool follows the same process established for renewable projects:

  1. New contractors must first create an online account (profile) in the CIT tool in order to submit an application for electrical service request or renewable projects.
  2. Existing contractors who have already created an online account (profile) in the CIT tool, will continue to use their existing online account to submit applications for CER projects, as well as electrical service requests.

The resources below will help guide you through the process:

PDF Guides:

Videos:

Reminders to expedite service

  • LOAD REQUIREMENTS: Accurate load requirements are extremely important for both residential and small commercial projects. Please ensure that the load requirements have been accurately reflected in the initial service application.
  • EASEMENT REQUIREMENTS
    • MAUI COUNTY ONLY:
      • Company shall provide redline sketch easement descriptions for all projects, with the exception of new subdivisions processed through the County of Maui’s Development Services Administration, or when a landowner requires specific, described easements. In such instances, the customer is responsible for providing the company’s Land Department with the necessary survey material, i.e. metes & bounds easement descriptions, easement maps, surveyor’s certifications, and if applicable any Land Court petitions and maps.
      • If customers and/or landowners are willing, blanket easements are also an option which may help expedite service.
    • OAHU ONLY:
      • Survey easement drawing maps and any required metes/bounds surveys for all Commercial and Subdivision (greater than 2 units), including condominium properties (CPR) projects, will need to be provided by the customer and/or developer.
  • UNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS (OAHU ONLY)
    • As noted in the Honolulu City Ordinance, any development with four or more units are required to be fed by underground services. Please be sure to include drawings for underground infrastructure design with your submittal.

E Hoomaikai #9 (February 2022)

Potential material delays due to pandemic

There have been international challenges with supply chains and delivery of products and materials due to COVID. Some significant delays include:

Padmount Transformers:
Single Phase – 70+ weeks
Three Phase – 30+ weeks

Pole-mounted Transformers:
Single phase – 20 to 28 weeks

Hawaiian Electric is working closely with our manufacturers and distributors so we can track all orders and receive updates on any changes.

Safety first

We are now making the de-energization of distribution cables a priority before any digging in proximity of direct buried cables, breaking concrete jackets, or coring into a handhole/manhole. Contractors hired by Hawaiian Electric will also be required to follow our same safety guidelines. Contractors under the direction of another company can break into concrete jackets to expose the conduit of/near energized cables following their own safety practices, but a Hawaiian Electric representative must still be present.

This change requires Oahu planners to issue two work packages to different groups within Hawaiian Electric who have to take different steps in preparation and execution of the work. One additional factor is the potential for more planned customer outages, which require notification to affected customers. On rare occasions there may be exceptions made, but that will require justification and approval from a vice president.

A new electric service application platform coming soon

Our current online application will be replaced with a new and interactive application platform that will simplify the overall application process for new electric service requests. It will be deployed in a series of phases, the first of which will be released this year.

Features include:

  • Intuitive application: Requirements based on the scope of your project
  • Visibility: Real-time project status as it advances through its lifecycle
  • Correspondence history: Platform maintains a history of all correspondence related to your project

E Hoomaikai #8 (November 2021)

Easements take time

When an easement is required as part of a service request, be mindful that this will likely add much more time to the project. Our residential and commercial brochures provide estimates of the additional time needed.

We ask for your patience and that you incorporate additional time in your project when survey work and an easement are required. Please work with your planner, designer or engineer for any potential opportunities to reduce the easement timeframe, if possible.

Working as one company

We strive to work as one company across our five-island service territory, and part of that effort has been the documentation and alignment of our customer service request processes. The goal is to provide you with an improved customer experience.

We’ve been focusing on residential services this year, and we’ll move to commercial services in 2022. Each journey mapping effort (for a given service type) results in a documented standard operating procedure (SOP) that our teams are to follow and use as a reference. We also realize it’s not set in stone, and we’ll continuously look for ways to improve the documentation and processes for you and our customers.

County of Hawaii challenges (Hawaii Island only)

The County of Hawaii (COH) recently changed its permit process (a system called EPIC), and unfortunately, this has slowed county inspection approvals. Without county approvals we cannot issue our jobs. It’s our understanding that the county’s approval email goes to the electrical contractor, but not to Hawaiian Electric.

We’ve tried to work with several COH electrical inspectors who have to manually attach the inspection report to an email instead of sending it through the EPIC system. Some contractors have tried to forward their approvals to us, but COH does not allow us to use those approvals unless it comes from its email system. Another option is sending the inspection approval to Hawaiian Electric from your company email (if you have one) and copy the COH electrical inspector. That way, they see that it’s legitimate and should be able to cross-reference their email record.

We hope that COH is able to fix this issue, but we’re also concerned about the backlog. Please know that we’ll continue to do our best to complete your requests and schedule your work as quickly as we can, but this will likely continue to cause challenges.

New service coming soon for large developers

To better serve large developers, Hawaiian Electric wants to partner with you early on as you plan for upcoming projects. Please consider contacting our company (CI@hawaiianelectric.com) at the early conceptual design stage of your large customer developments in order to submit a Pre-Service Request application. The goal is to work together in the early stages of your development planning process to ensure a successful, timely and innovative design plan that incorporates an array of available energy resources to help meet your development needs.

As part of this Pre-Service Request process, our customer development manager and team will work with your team to develop a feasible plan for incorporating innovative energy options that should be mutually beneficial to both our company and yours. Here’s a list of current potential programs that could be considered:

In addition, our team can also work with yours to provide initial planning and design services for your proposed development that include, but are not limited to:

  • Confirming whether existing Hawaiian Electric facilities at or adjacent to your development can serve your project
  • Discussing Hawaiian Electric high-level requirements for facilities needed to serve the development based on your service needs

E Hoomaikai #7 (August 2021)

Meter Relocation Charges

There will be no charges from Hawaiian Electric for a meter replacement or relocation if:

  • The meter is upgraded from 100 to 200 or 200 to 320 amp service in the same general location (may change if related to PV)
  • The meter is in the garage and will be relocated out of the garage
  • The meter socket and/or related equipment is rusty or deteriorated
  • The meter is in an inaccessible location or a location that is hazardous to the owner and employees

Situations where there will be charges from Hawaiian Electric for meter replacements:

  • Replacing a meter in good operating condition
  • Relocation of service and meter with no upgrade

One-for-one Meter Socket Replacement/Revamp Charges

Regarding Revamp/Replacement (one-for-one) for PV, where service is typically already 200A (overhead/underground), we only charge for Planner and Transmission & Distribution Operations’ labor/time (no materials). We ask that PV contractors communicate to end customers upfront that there is a charge, or be sure to include it in your costs from the beginning.

Online Service Request Applications

Please be sure to submit ALL service request applications online using our Electrical Service Request Form. We are working on providing additional documentation to help identify required fields and documentation, and we are working on a longer-term solution that will only require you to complete the information necessary based on the type of request.

Billing Party Information

We require billing information for both the monthly energy bill and construction costs, when applicable. If you are a new customer, please provide your general and federal tax ID numbers, basic contact information, and mailing address.

Electronic Payments

As of 8/26/21, we will be transitioning from Speedpay to Paymentus for online payments. If you pay through Paymentus or a Western Union Payment location, we ask that you please email a copy of your payment confirmation to the Planner. Please be sure to still email or mail in the signed proposal to the Planner as well.

E Hoomaikai #6 (May 2021)

One Company Brochures

We have updated the Residential and Commercial and Large Customer Brochures that we had originally developed on Oahu, and made revisions to ensure they are applicable across our whole company. Please reference the updated brochures to better understand:

  • Key milestones in our process
  • Typical timeframes to be expected

All requests to Hawaiian Electric must be submitted online

Effective April 26, 2021, all applications for Hawaiian Electric support and electrical service must be made using our online Electrical Service Request Form.

Before submitting your request, please also review the “Form submission requirements” if you’re not familiar with them.

Billing party and customer account information required to create service request

Effective April 26, 2021, we are requiring Billing Party (BP) and Customer Account (CA) information for the creation of the online Electrical Service Request Form. Your Electrical Service Request will not be created if this information is not included on your application form.

Pictures for multiple meter residential property requests

For residential properties with multiple meters, we ask that contractors or developers please provide pictures at the time you submit the service request that includes the following:

  • Intended house
  • Meter number
  • Address display (if any) on the house

Please email them to us and ensure your email with the pictures includes the following in the subject line:

  • Project Name
  • TMK
  • Address

These pictures can help keep our employees safe, and keep residents from reacting negatively toward our Hawaiian Electric employees.

Unlicensed and tampering work will be reported

We have witnessed an ongoing issue with tampering work and unlicensed electricians doing work on behalf of licensed electricians. We have begun to report this type of activity and will continue to report it to appropriate authorities until we notice improvements.

E Hoomaikai #5 (February 2021)

Service Work Scheduled Via Email

As of Feb. 16 on Oahu, Hawaiian Electric began sending scheduled installation dates via email to contractors and customers for simple service/residential/bucket truck type of work.

To avoid delays, we encourage you to do your best to meet the initial scheduled date. However, if you cannot accept that date, you will need to send a reply email within a specified time frame, and provide the date that you will be ready. If you accept the job and then need to cancel for any reason, you need to reply to the original email with notice of your cancellation, and again, provide an alternative date. This will put your project at risk for considerable delays due to rescheduling.

Customer Payment to Proceed

Since October/November 2020, across our five-island service territory, we began requiring customer payment before we issue job packages to our T&D Operations group for scheduling of all work. This includes temporary service and associated fees.

To avoid delays, please submit your temporary service requests before you start your project and allow sufficient time for us to work with you.

Confirming your billing information when your request is made can help reduce some processing time. Please respond quickly to any requests for billing confirmation from our clerks as this is critical to moving your project forward.

Your Planner is your Main Point of Contact

For questions about the design of your project or installation, please consult your assigned planner. Do not discuss design issues, options or alternatives with a Hawaiian Electric inspector or other company personnel.

Be sure to consult your assigned planner before installing any equipment or digging any trenches, etc. Since you and your assigned planner should be most familiar with the ESIM, all design-related advice should come from your assigned planner. This will help minimize rework and delays to your project.

E Hoomaikai #4 (November 2020)

Submitting an Electrical Request Form Online

The online form is now available to all customers on the five islands we serve. If you need to submit a new request or would like your electric service upgraded, please submit an electrical request form online.

Rental Property

Please be sure to identify if your job is a rental property, especially for existing single-family homes. It is your responsibility to ensure the owner of the property authorizes removal of service and notifies any renter of your plans to have Hawaiian Electric work on your behalf, starting with a site visit.

Pole Bracing

We have updated the customer notes related to pole bracing to reflect the current organization and groups involved. These customer notes should be included on all consultant drawings with Hawaiian Electric work. Please be sure to follow these notes and directions whenever you are digging within 10 feet of a pole or anchor, other than shallow and narrow digging that may be done for a riser. If there are multiple risers, please contact us with expected width and depth so we can provide guidance.

Sketches for Service Requests

We will begin requiring "sketches" from contractors before opening service requests for basic residential service installations/removals. These can be hand drawn on 8.5x11 paper and do not need an engineer's stamp. It should be a simple, clear and legible sketch that includes:

  • General outline of the lot and house (including driveway)
  • Location of existing/proposed meter equipment, weatherhead (put an "X" over any equipment/cable to be removed)
  • Location of serving pole or handhole and general route/location of overhead or underground cable from pole or handhole to meter/service equipment

Email inquiries starting April 13

Effective Monday, April 13, Customer Installation administrative staff at our Ward Office will be working from home and the office is closed to the public until further notice. For any questions, customers should email cid@hawaiianelectric.com.

Ward office to remain closed until further notice

Hawaiian Electric is continuing to take steps to ensure that we are able to provide safe and reliable service to the public, even as health responses to COVID-19 are elevated on a daily basis. To minimize risk to customers who visit our offices and to our employees, our Ward Office continues to remain closed to the public until further notice.

We will continue to make site visits as normal, but will be strictly adhering to the social distancing guidelines recommended by county, state and federal health officials. We ask that you do the same should you see our employees in the field. Some of the guidelines include:

  • Avoid meeting in-person; communicate via email or phone when possible, even when in the same area.
  • Unavoidable in-person meetings should be short, keeping a distance of 6 feet between persons.

Our employees have been instructed to NOT accept forms and/or drawings while in the field.

Please see the previous post for the numerous options still available to submit service requests.

Ward office closed for walk-ins starting noon, March 18

We're taking steps to ensure that we will continue to provide safe and reliable service in light of elevated public health responses to COVID-19, which include increased social distancing as recommended by state and federal health officials.

To minimize risk to customers who visit our offices and to our employees, we will temporarily close our Ward Office for walk-ins starting at noon Wednesday, March 18. We will reassess the situation next week to determine if it is in the public interest to reopen access to the public to our Ward Office on Monday, March 30.

Customers still have numerous options to submit service requests and are encouraged to:

E Hoomaikai #3 (January 2020)

Residential Customer Project Guide

Our new residential customer brochure (PDF) outlines the installation steps and approximate timeline for residential customers looking to install new service or do a service upgrade.

Customer Installation Service Request Form Submission Requirements

More and more often, we receive service requests without required project information. By not having complete and required submission information, it will cause delays and waste resources for everyone. Please take a few minutes to review Hawaiian Electric's electrical service submission requirements (PDF) and remember to include all required information when submitting your service request.

E Hoomaikai #2 (August 2019)

9th Edition Electric Service Installation Manual (ESIM)

The ESIM is a publication of Hawaiian Electric and provides you with standards, guidelines and requirements for electric service and meter installations.

The changes in this edition primarily include clarifications and updates based on questions that we've received or discovered. The effective date of this revision is July 1, 2019.

Expansion of Upfront Deposits

In an effort to adequately manage our available resources, the Customer Installation Division (CID) of Hawaiian Electric will be expanding use of upfront deposits for the intake of requests. Currently, CID requires a deposit only for smaller jobs that do not have either a city building permit or engineering drawings. Going forward, we will be collecting deposits for the following additional services:

Type of Work

  • Stand-By Man Requests - $500
  • Power Availability Inquiries - $500 (OH) / $1,000 (UG)
  • Larger Jobs with Consultant Drawings - $5,000

E Hoomaikai #1 (April 2019)

Service Request Updates

Effective April 16, 2019, Hawaiian Electric will no longer create a service request on your behalf based on City and County (C&C) inspection release. The service request should be the first step once your plans are finalized and a building permit is secured (a building permit is not necessary for service requests initiated by hired consultants or if you are willing to pay a deposit to open a request ahead of time).

For any electrical work involving Hawaiian Electric facilities (including meters), the first step should always be the creation of a service request. When work proceeds without a service request, it inevitably causes delays and confusion for the end customer. The service request will:

  • Notify us of your plans
  • Give us an opportunity to ensure the plans are in compliance with standards
  • Give us a chance to provide a safe installation and adequate maintenance/access environment
  • Minimize the risk for re-work or delays due to unapproved or non-compliant work

When we receive notice of City & County (C&C) inspection approval, we should have already received the service request weeks/months prior. You must initiate a service request and ensure equipment and installation requirements are agreed upon well before requesting C&C inspection or release.

To create a service request, Commercial Customers (and 320A Residential Customers) should submit a request with our Customer Installation Form. Residential Customers (below 320A) should call (808) 543-7070 and speak with our administration team to get your requests started.

Commercial and Large Customer Project Timelines

Please view our Commercial and Large Customer brochure (PDF) to get an idea of the key milestones of our process, responsibility associated with each milestone, and a typical timeframe to complete these milestones. Service requests should be submitted in advance with these timeframes in mind to give us the best chance of meeting your needs.