HELCO warns potential rolling power outages

[TomK]

an additional meal really doesn't make much difference in terms of power usage

Mostly true, they have a somewhat fixed cost of opening for business.  But restaurants with grills and gas stoves and kiawe wood ovens use far less electricity than electric ovens.  So way not say that?  Also, a homeowner has a fixed cost of running a fridge which is a high energy appliance.  It uses power whether you eat at a restaurant or at home.  If you have a gas stove it would use less electricity than getting a pizza at a restaurant which uses an electric oven.

And HELCO recommending driving.  It may not use electricity but it'a short sighted in reducing overall energy consumption and our carbon footprint.  Almost like trimming tree branches 6" under the power lines so the tree company needs to come back in a year or two and trim again.

I completely agree. I think HELCO is just looking after themself in the short term first, and driving cars doesn't have an immediate impact on them, so that's their recommendation. They could, of course, recommend visiting a restaurant that doesn't use that much electricity but of course, that would likely mean lowering their profits.