HONOLULU -- Hawaiian Electric Co. asked Oahu customers to conserve electricity to help avoid power outages.

About 291,000 customers on Oahu depend on Hawaiian Electric for power.

"We could be in a situation where we would ask customers to take outages," HECO spokesman Jose Dizon said. "Rolling outages would mean that certain sections of the island would be without power for about one hour, maybe two hours at a time."

At the crux of the problem are some of HECO's generators. The Honolulu power plant houses just one of four generators that are down for maintenance and repair work. In addition to that, an independent power producer, Kalaeloa Partners, is operating at reduced levels; slightly less that one half its normal capacity.

So HECO asked customers to conserve at least through Thursday.

"We're just asking that when you do come home, don't turn on the air conditioner, don't use your dish washer during the 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. period. Try to refrain from washing clothes during that period," Dizon said.

HECO also asked that resident not to use any big appliances during that time.

HECO said its commercial customers are doing their share to help. It hopes residential customers will do their part as well.

"If it's able to help and if it's what's needed to keep the power running for everybody, then I guess that's what we have to do," Makiki resident Travis Iams said.

The Honolulu Police Department is also prepared for any power outages. It is keeping officers overtime to direct traffic in the event a black out affects traffic lights.