After a power failure knocked out electricity in parts of Lānaʻi High and Elementary School in 2021, the state set up temporary electrical lines to get the lights back on.

Five years later, the so-called temporary lines are still there.

Four portable classrooms and a building housing the boys’ locker room were affected when the school’s underground electrical line failed, said Karen de Brum, a longtime teacher at the school. An electrical cable now pulls power from the autoshop and runs to nearby classrooms by cutting through the boys’ locker room — rendering the showers unusable. 

“The whole thing is frustrating because everybody agrees that this is not safe,” she said. 

Education department spokesperson Nanea Ching confirmed the school has limited access to parts of the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms. But students are able to use another locker room with showers, she said, and the school has continued to run its athletic and physical education programs.

The electrical system receives regular inspections from facilities staff, Ching said. 

Because the temporary power line diverts electricity from the autoshop, the building is now running with limited power, said de Brum, who also serves as the school’s career and technical education coordinator. As a result, she said, the school has been unable to install a car lift that was donated around the same time as the 2021 power outage. 

“If we don’t get this going, we’re going to lose our opportunity,” she said. “Everything’s in place except the electricity.” 

Teachers and school advocates have pushed lawmakers and school leaders for answers to little avail. After months of communication with the education department, it’s unclear if the school has received dedicated funding to fix its electrical system or why the campus has continued to go without repairs, community member Mary Charles said. 

“Nothing’s fixed,” Charles said.

This year, the education department received $448 million for major campus construction projects, including deferred maintenance initiatives like significant electrical repairs to campuses. The department currently has 3,826 deferred maintenance projects with an estimated cost of nearly $1.3 billion, Ching said.

Because Lānaʻi High and Elementary requires a permanent repair to its underground electrical line, Ching said, the fix is part of the education department’s backlog of deferred maintenance projects. The department is still establishing a timeline for completing the project but anticipates starting work in 2027, she said. 

“The Department remains committed to restoring full functionality to campus facilities and ensuring students have access to the programs and spaces they need,” she said.  

Fixed It!

In mid-May, the education department restored power to the Kalāheo High School athletic facilities. The building was without electricity – including air conditioning and overhead lighting – for eight months. 

Who Can Be Contacted?

Hawaiʻi Department of Education Office of Facilities and Operations, 808-784-5000. 

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