(Reuters) – Hawaiian Electric Industries (NYSE:) is among defendants who have agreed to pay $4 billion to settle lawsuits related to deadly wildfires on Maui, the company said on Friday.
The island utility and its parent company, Hawaiian Electric, are responsible for $1.99 billion in pre-tax contributions, which includes $75 million previously donated to the One Ohana initiative.
Hawaiian Electric said in a statement that compensation payments will begin upon court approval and are expected to occur in mid-2025.
Hawaiian Electric and defendants, including county officials, are facing criminal charges stemming from wildfires that ravaged Maui last year, killing at least 100 people, destroying thousands of properties and causing an estimated $5 billion in damages.
The lawsuits alleged that utility companies failed to shut down power lines despite warnings that forceful winds could down them and spark forest fires.