#Hawaii Public Utilities Commission

Hawai’i Water Service says it’s losing money at current rates, which have been in place for 17 years, and has spent nearly $33 million to improve the Kapalua system since 2021.

Gov. Josh Green has appointed Jon Itomura to serve as Chair of the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission.

Qualified Hawaiian Electric customers in wildfire risk areas who are subject to preemptive power shutoffs would be eligible to receive a rebate for the purchase of backup power equipment, under a new company proposal.

State board OK’d limited temporary rate hike of 18.1%, effective from July 1 through Dec. 31, based on an assessment of the minimum amount necessary to allow the company to continue providing essential interisland shipping services while commissioners complete a review of the firm’s pending general rate increase request of 25%.

Hawaiian Electric today continued to accelerate progress toward Hawaiʻi’s energy goals by signing two new contracts for solar and energy storage projects that will help control energy costs and maintain reliable electric service.

Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green, M.D., signed an executive order on Monday aimed at accelerating the state’s renewable energy development in response to federal uncertainty and concerns about grid stability. The order moves Hawaiʻi’s Renewable Portfolio Standards target from 2045 to 2035, alongside other key directives.

Young Brothers, LLC has filed a rate case with the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission, requesting approval of a $26.3 million increase in revenue – or an average 20% increase in rates for the majority of cargo – to cover significant increases in the cost of service, support critical investments to upgrade equipment and infrastructure, and sustain the vital interisland shipping service that connects the state’s island communities. 

Hawaiian Electric’s presentation will include information on general timing and cost components for various Maui projects and programs including: the planned Kahului Power Plant closure, proposed Mā‘alaea Power Plant unit retirements, status of new generation projects, current reserve margins, future infrastructure and reliability improvements, and Hawaiian Electric’s Public Safety Power Shutoff changes.

Hawaiian Electric Company will provide a presentation about its current operations and future plans for Maui’s electric grid at an in-person and virtual informational meeting hosted by the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday, July 2.

ʻĀina Lani Pacific is seeking a Maui County grant of more than $4.9 million to help pay for steeply rising construction costs projected for the developer’s 28-home Kilohana Makai project in Kīhei.

The US House Committee on Energy & Commerce is holding a subcommittee fact-finding hearing on Thursday in Washington, D.C., to investigate the role of electric infrastructure in the “catastrophic Maui fire” in Lahaina on Aug. 8 that killed at least 97 people.

The US House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing later this month on the deadly Maui wildfires that claimed the lives of at least 115 people, with many still unaccounted for. The Aug. 8 tragedy that wiped out five square miles of homes and businesses in Lahaina is considered the deadliest fire in modern US history.

Hawai’i Energy can award a total of $592,000 in rebates for eligible installation projects of electric vehicle charging stations completed between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

Public Utilities Commission chairman James Griffin has informed Gov. David Ige that he will be stepping down from the PUC at the end of his term, which expires on June 30, 2022.

Virtual public meetings will be held Dec. 2 and 3 regarding Hawaiian Electric’s proposal to launch shared solar or Community-Based Renewable Energy programs and projects on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi.

Hawaiian Electric announced Wednesday that it has submitted eight new renewable energy projects to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for review. If approved, the projects could produce lower-cost electricity, advance clean energy and phase out coal consumption in Hawai’i – enabling the retirement of the Kahului plant. 

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino called Young Brothers the “lifeline for the state of Hawai‘i.”  He continued saying, “The neighbor islands depend on Young Brothers tremendously.  Some of us do not have big harbors that could bring in larger ships to off load, and so we depend on Young Brothers to bring in almost 90% of all the produce, all of our food and other necessities that this county, this island, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi exist off of.”

The Hawaiian Electric Companies have received more than 75 proposals after its call for more renewable energy resources to “accelerate the state’s transition off fossil fuels used for generations of electricity.”

Gov. David Ige recently announced the launch of the Green Money $aver program. The program is designed to make green energy installments, like solar water heaters and photovoltaic panels, more accessible and affordable for homeowners, renters, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. According to the governorʻs press secretary, the program is a significant step towards meeting […]

In partnership with the County of Maui, Maui Economic Development Board, Ulupono Initiative, Blue Planet Foundation and Hitachi, Maui Electric will operate the existing electric vehicle fast-charging network on Maui. As the company works on the transition, it will propose new rates to incentivize EV drivers to charge during midday hours, when cheaper solar energy […]