heco
My Best Recent Investment
No, it’s not the Enhance Turbo MPP pickleball paddle, but a Tesla PowerWall system that’s been my best recent investment. We’ve been plagued with short-term and medium-term power outages quite frequently over the years, but 2025 and so far, 2026 has been even worse. The power outages typically have been lasting hours.
But all of this anxiety is now alleviated with a PowerWall battery system. Our refrigerator stays cool and the basic electrical necessities are taken care of. And this Storm Watch mode that charges the battery ahead of bad weather is a very smart feature.
Oahu Power Outage Map
Mainly posting as a reference for the next time (or even later today), but here’s the Hawaiian Electric power outage map for Oahu.
All this wind is causing major disruptions. An outage that was supposed to be two hours long went on for at least five hours.
PowerWall Holding Strong
Thank goodness for the home battery backup provided by the Tesla PowerWall.
Spectrum Service Update Emails are Funny and Irritating
Okay, I lied. I didn’t stop. Gotta give it to Spectrum to send this Service Update email. Yes, Spectrum, the television, phone, and Internet service provider… not the electricity provider.
The email is funny stating “Your power company is taking longer than expected” and that Spectrum will provide another update in three hours. I mean that’ll be around 8pm at night. I don’t think I’ll need a Spectrum Service Email to tell me my power isn’t back as I sit in total darkness if power isn’t restored by then.
Two Power Outages in a Day Is Irritating
First of all, one power outage at home is irritating enough, especially when it happens at lunch time, and you can’t heat up any food and can only drink lukewarm tap water. Compounding that irritiation is HECO’s aggressive service restoration estimate of one hour. Yeah… that was more like two hours from 11:30 to 1:45.
Okay, fine whatever. Power comes back, lunch is eaten, and work is resumed… then the power goes out for a second time today. The HECO outage system says this.
It’s now 4:53pm.
Yes, this is 2025, the year of irritation.
Was Kaneohe Coffee-less This Morning?
According to HECO, a major section of Kaneohe was without power this morning mainly affecting commercial businesses like Starbucks. The 24-hour drive-thru rendered worthless, the early-opening-but-can’t-access Starbucks inside Windward Mall unavailable. Still though, the green aprons of the mermaid showed up to work, just to apologize to caffeine-addicts.
Maybe the Windward City location had power and could serve up coffee or a Dirty Oprah.
Image from KITV news.