Hawaiian Electric is facing public pressure in West Oʻahu over repeated blackouts, bad news for residents who have lost power through three hurricanes and the Kona storms.

• State regulators have started a round of public meetings on how well the power grid held up during recent storms.
• Residents say outages are not just storm-related and happen too often in normal weather.
• Elderly people are hit hardest, since many rely on oxygen machines and medicine that must stay refrigerated.
• Complaints go beyond electricity to preparedness, safety, and having a say in decisions about the islands.
• A strong El Niño season means more storms could still come this year.

Outlook: The regulators' meetings move on to other islands next, with pressure building on Hawaiian Electric to explain its reliability record.