S&P 500—Dow—NASDAQ—Russell 2000—FTSE 100—DAX—CAC 40—Nikkei—Hang Seng—ASX 200—ALEX—ALK—BOH—CPF—CYAN—FHB—HE—MATX—MLP—NVDA—AAPL—GOOGL—GOOG—MSFT—AMZN—META—AVGO—TSLA—BRK.B—WMT—LLY—JPM—V—XOM—JNJ—MA—MU—COST—BAC—ORCL—ABBV—HD—PG—CVX—NFLX—KO—AMD—GE—CAT—PEP—MRK—ADBE—DIS—UNH—CSCO—INTC—CRM—PM—MCD—ACN—TMO—NEE—BMY—DHR—HON—RTX—UPS—TXN—LIN—QCOM—AMGN—SPGI—INTU—COP—LOW—AMAT—BKNG—AXP—DE—LMT—MDT—CB—ADP—GILD—MDLZ—SYK—BLK—C—ADI—REGN—SBUX—NOW—CI—VRTX—ZTS—MMC—PLD—SO—DUK—CMCSA—APD—BSX—BDX—EOG—ICE—ISRG—SLB—LRCX—PGR—USB—SCHW—ELV—ITW—KLAC—WM—EQIX—ETN—TGT—MO—HCA—APTV—BTC—ETH—XRP—USDT—SOL—BNB—USDC—DOGE—ADA—STETH—S&P 500—Dow—NASDAQ—Russell 2000—FTSE 100—DAX—CAC 40—Nikkei—Hang Seng—ASX 200—ALEX—ALK—BOH—CPF—CYAN—FHB—HE—MATX—MLP—NVDA—AAPL—GOOGL—GOOG—MSFT—AMZN—META—AVGO—TSLA—BRK.B—WMT—LLY—JPM—V—XOM—JNJ—MA—MU—COST—BAC—ORCL—ABBV—HD—PG—CVX—NFLX—KO—AMD—GE—CAT—PEP—MRK—ADBE—DIS—UNH—CSCO—INTC—CRM—PM—MCD—ACN—TMO—NEE—BMY—DHR—HON—RTX—UPS—TXN—LIN—QCOM—AMGN—SPGI—INTU—COP—LOW—AMAT—BKNG—AXP—DE—LMT—MDT—CB—ADP—GILD—MDLZ—SYK—BLK—C—ADI—REGN—SBUX—NOW—CI—VRTX—ZTS—MMC—PLD—SO—DUK—CMCSA—APD—BSX—BDX—EOG—ICE—ISRG—SLB—LRCX—PGR—USB—SCHW—ELV—ITW—KLAC—WM—EQIX—ETN—TGT—MO—HCA—APTV—BTC—ETH—XRP—USDT—SOL—BNB—USDC—DOGE—ADA—STETH—
Infrastructure & Transportation

Wildfire Risk Prompts Public Safety Power Shutoffs: Businesses Must Prepare for Multi-Day Disruptions This Week

·7 min read·⚡ Act Now

Executive Summary

Hawaiian Electric anticipates Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) across parts of Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island Monday through Thursday due to heightened wildfire risk. Businesses in affected areas face potential operational paralysis and data loss if emergency power continuity plans are not immediate; act now to safeguard operations.

  • Small Business Operators & Tourism Operators: Risk of extended downtime, spoilage, and loss of customer service. Immediate backup power and data protection measures are critical.
  • Real Estate Owners: Potential disruption to tenants, property security systems, and essential services. Assess building emergency preparedness.
  • Agriculture & Food Producers: Critical risk of crop damage, livestock welfare issues, and spoilage of perishable goods. Secure backup power for irrigation and cooling.
  • Healthcare Providers: Significant risk to patient care, medical equipment, and data integrity. Expedite backup power and communication protocols.
  • Action: Implement emergency preparedness plans and secure backup power solutions before Monday, February 17th.
⚡

Action Required

High Priority⏰ This week (Monday-Thursday)

Businesses in affected areas risk significant operational disruption and data loss if they do not prepare for potential power outages occurring within days.

Small business operators and tourism operators must secure and test backup generators or UPS for critical equipment (refrigeration, POS, communications) immediately. Ensure all critical data is backed up off-site or in the cloud before any potential shutoff. Develop communication plans for staff and customers. Healthcare providers must confirm critical medical equipment is on reliable backup power and has been tested, and that patient data is backed up. All affected businesses should monitor Hawaiian Electric for updates and have a written emergency plan to execute by Sunday, February 16th, 2026.

Who's Affected
Small Business OperatorsReal Estate OwnersTourism OperatorsAgriculture & Food ProducersHealthcare Providers
Ripple Effects
  • →Loss of power → Inability to operate businesses → Reduced local economic activity → Strain on supply chains → Increased costs for remaining goods and services → Diminished consumer spending power → Further business closures
  • →Extended power outages → Financial strain on businesses → Potential for layoffs → Increased unemployment claims → Reduced tax revenue for local governments
  • →Disruption to essential services (healthcare, food supply) → Public health and safety concerns → Increased demand on limited emergency resources
Team of workers in hard hats repairing electrical lines from a fallen pole after an accident.
Photo by Denniz Futalan

Wildfire Risk Prompts Public Safety Power Shutoffs: Businesses Must Prepare for Multi-Day Disruptions This Week

Hawaiian Electric is closely monitoring forecasts for elevated wildfire risk conditions across portions of Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island from Monday, February 17th, through Thursday, February 20th, 2026. This forecast has triggered a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) watch, meaning extended power outages are possible, potentially lasting for multiple days, to prevent utility equipment from igniting fires.

The Change

Hawaiian Electric has announced a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) watch for specific areas on Maui and Hawaiʻi Island, effective Monday, February 17th, 2026. This measure is being taken due to critical wildfire risk conditions, including dry vegetation, low humidity, and high winds. The duration of these shutoffs is uncertain and could extend for several days in impacted zones. Businesses in these regions must prepare for the full spectrum of operational disruptions, including loss of power, communication, and potentially transportation delays.

Who's Affected

Small Business Operators (Small-Operator)

Operators of restaurants, retail stores, service providers, and local franchises are at high risk of operational paralysis.

  • Impact: Loss of refrigeration, point-of-sale systems, lighting, and essential machinery. Potential for inventory spoilage, lost sales, and inability to serve customers for extended periods.
  • Timeline: Immediate preparation required, with outages expected to begin Monday, February 17th, and continue through Thursday, February 20th. The actual duration of any shutoff is unpredictable.

Real Estate Owners (Real-Estate)

Property owners, developers, landlords, and property managers in affected zones must consider tenant welfare and infrastructure stability.

  • Impact: Disruption to building security systems, elevators, water pumps, and common area services. Potential for tenant dissatisfaction and damage to property infrastructure if backup systems are inadequate.
  • Timeline: Immediate assessment of building emergency protocols and notification to tenants is paramount, starting now through Thursday.

Tourism Operators (Tourism-Operator)

Hotels, tour companies, and vacation rental businesses face significant guest impact and operational challenges.

  • Impact: Loss of essential services for guests (AC, lighting, hot water, Wi-Fi, check-in/out systems), leading to high guest dissatisfaction and potential cancellations. Tour operations may be halted due to transportation or access issues.
  • Timeline: Urgent need to activate guest communication plans and backup power for critical hospitality functions this week, Monday through Thursday.

Agriculture & Food Producers (Agriculture)

Farms, ranches, food processing facilities, and aquaculture operations are particularly vulnerable.

  • Impact: Critical loss of power for irrigation pumps, climate control in greenhouses, cooling for perishable goods, and processing equipment. This can lead to crop failure, livestock distress, and significant spoilage of harvested products.
  • Timeline: Immediate implementation of backup power for essential agricultural systems is crucial, with potential for extended impact through Thursday and beyond if shutoffs are prolonged.

Healthcare Providers (Healthcare)

Private medical practices, clinics, and telehealth providers must ensure continuity of care.

  • Impact: Failure of critical medical equipment, disruption of electronic health records (EHRs), inability to conduct appointments or procedures, and compromise of sensitive patient data. Telehealth services will be impossible without power and reliable internet.
  • Timeline: URGENT activation of all emergency power systems, data backup protocols, and communication contingency plans before Monday's projected start of PSPS.

Second-Order Effects

Public Safety Power Shutoffs, while necessary for fire prevention, create immediate economic shockwaves. A prolonged outage directly impacts a business's ability to generate revenue, leading to potential cash flow crises for small businesses concentrated in affected regions. This strain on local businesses can reduce demand for supporting services and impact employment within those communities. Furthermore, intermittent power supply increases operational uncertainty, potentially deterring new business investments and exacerbating the challenges of maintaining existing operations in Hawaii's already high-cost environment.

A ripple effect from PSPS events: Loss of power → Inability to operate businesses → Reduced local economic activity → Strain on supply chains → Increased costs for remaining goods and services → Diminished consumer spending power → Further business closures.

What to Do

Small Business Operators & Tourism Operators

Action: Secure and test backup generators or uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) immediately for critical equipment like refrigeration, POS systems, and essential communication devices. Ensure all critical data is backed up off-site or in the cloud before any potential shutoff. Develop a communication plan for staff and customers, and consider pre-negotiating with local IT support for emergency services. Review insurance policies for business interruption clauses.

Real Estate Owners

Action: Verify the operational status of emergency generators for elevators, essential lighting, and critical life-safety systems. Communicate clearly with all tenants about the potential for PSPS, outlining available building resources and tenant responsibilities. Ensure security systems have battery backup and test their functionality.

Agriculture & Food Producers

Action: Activate backup power systems for irrigation, ventilation, and cooling. Implement strategies to protect perishable inventory, such as moving it to facilities with guaranteed power or utilizing dry ice where applicable. Ensure livestock have access to water and adequate ventilation if primary systems fail.

Healthcare Providers

Action: Confirm all critical medical equipment is connected to reliable backup power sources and has been tested. Ensure all patient data is current and securely backed up to an off-site location. Prepare alternative communication methods and patient notification systems in case of primary systems failure. Review telehealth platform resilience under power-deficient conditions.

General Action for All Affected Businesses: Monitor Hawaiian Electric's website and local news for real-time updates on PSPS status and affected areas. Have a written emergency plan readily accessible and ensure key personnel are trained on its execution. Consider temporary relocation of critical operations if the risk of prolonged outage is deemed too high and feasible.

Deadline: All preparatory actions should be completed by Sunday, February 16th, 2026, to be ready for potential shutoffs beginning Monday, February 17th.

Related Articles

Utility workers assess and fix downed power lines on a sunny day, ensuring safety and service restoration.
Infrastructure & Transportation

West Maui Businesses Face Ongoing Disruption Risk from Power Outages and PSPS Threats

·5 min read
Hawaiian airline plane captured flying against a clear dusk sky in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Infrastructure & Transportation

Hawaiian Airlines Fleet Decision Could Reduce Interisland Connectivity and Raise Operational Costs for Businesses

·5 min read
Hawaiian Airlines jet soaring through a clear sky during twilight, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
Infrastructure & Transportation

Increased Airfare Change Fees Impact Hawaii Business Travel and Planning

·7 min read