Businesses in Downtown Honolulu are slowly recovering from the power outage that hit the area on Thursday. Many food items had to be thrown away, large catering orders were canceled, and businesses had to send their employees home early. It was a difficult day for business owners in Downtown Honolulu as they tried to salvage what was lost due to the outage.
Jo Anne Washburn, owner of JoJo’s Kitchen, lamented the wasted time, money, and food as a result of the power outage. A large order that was being prepared for the day had to be canceled, sending everyone home early. The power outage lasted about nine hours and caused offices and businesses to close before their usual time.
Selena Pak, owner of Honolulu Rose Cake Shop, also noted a slow business day on Friday following the outage. Many small businesses struggled to recover after the chaos of the previous day. Pak and other shop owners are planning to file damage claims with HECO, who reported that a total of 943 claims were filed in 2022 from Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island with a payout of $249,579.86 made.
The state’s Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs suggested that consumers who are unable to resolve issues directly with a utility like HECO can file an information complaint with the PUC to describe their complaint and desired outcome. HECO is still investigating the underground cable power outage from Wednesday night that led to Thursday’s event but reassured that Downtown’s network is now stable following
