HONOLULU: Hawaiian Electric Industries is among the defendants who have agreed to pay US$4 billion to settle lawsuits over the deadly Maui wildfires, the company said on Friday.
The utility operating on the island and its parent, Hawaiian Electric, are liable for US$1.99 billion of the amount before tax, which includes US$75 million previously contributed to the One Ohana Initiative.
Settlement payments will begin after judicial approval and are expected to be made from mid-2025, Hawaiian Electric said in a statement.
Hawaiian Electric and defendants including county officials faced lawsuits over the blazes that tore through Maui last year, killing at least 100 people, destroying thousands of properties and causing damage estimated at US$5 billion.
The lawsuits claimed the utility failed to shut off power lines despite warnings that high winds might blow them down and spark wildfires.