Hawaii Electricity Rates: What to Know

Hawaii has the most expensive electricity in the United States, and it is not close. The average residential rate is approximately 40 to 43 cents per kilowatt-hour as of 2026 — more than double the national average of about 18 cents. The average monthly bill runs $203 to $213, the highest in the country, despite Hawaiian households using the least electricity per month of any state (roughly 509 kWh versus a national average of about 900 kWh). The reason is straightforward: Hawaii generates roughly 61% of its electricity by burning imported petroleum. Every barrel of oil shipped across the Pacific to power Hawaiian Electric's generators flows directly into your bill.

That oil dependency makes Hawaii uniquely vulnerable to global price shocks. When oil prices spiked roughly 50% in March 2026 due to conflict in Iran, Hawaiian Electric warned that residential bills could rise 20-30% over the following months. No other state faces that kind of immediate, unavoidable exposure to global fuel markets. At the same time, Hawaii is the national leader in rooftop solar — nearly half of single-family homes on Oahu have panels on the roof — and was the first state to mandate 100% renewable energy by 2045. The tension between the most expensive fossil-fuel electricity in America and the most aggressive clean energy transition creates a story unlike any other state.

How Hawaii's Electricity System Works

Hawaii is a fully regulated electricity market. Residential customers cannot choose their electricity provider. Your utility is determined by which island you live on.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC), established in 1913, regulates all electric utilities in the state. The PUC's primary duty is protecting consumers by ensuring safe, reliable service at just and reasonable rates. It oversees rate cases, approves new programs, and regulates the renewable energy transition.

What makes Hawaii's grid fundamentally different from every other state is complete island isolation. Each island operates its own electrical grid. There are no underwater cables connecting the islands to each other or to the mainland. This means:

• Each island must maintain its own reserve generating capacity
• There is no way to import cheap power from a neighboring utility during peak demand or emergencies
• Fixed costs are spread across a small customer base
• Every island is electrically self-sufficient — or it goes dark

Island	Utility	Approx. Rate (2026)	Primary Generation
Oahu	Hawaiian Electric (HECO)	~43 cents/kWh	Oil + growing solar
Maui, Lanai, Molokai	Maui Electric (MECO)	Higher than Oahu	Oil + solar
Hawaii Island (Big Island)	Hawaii Electric Light (HELCO)	Higher than Oahu	Oil + geothermal + solar
Kauai	Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC)	~40 cents/kWh	~50% renewable

What Hawaiians Actually Pay

The Numbers

• Average residential rate: ~40-43 cents/kWh — the highest in the nation, roughly 2.2x the national average
• Average monthly bill: $203-$213
• Average monthly usage: ~509 kWh (lowest in the nation)
• National comparison: Average US bill is ~$152 on ~900 kWh/month

The paradox is clear: Hawaiians use the least electricity but pay the most. Many homes offset grid consumption with rooftop solar, which lowers the average grid-delivered kWh figure. But for households without solar, the full weight of 40+ cent rates falls on every kilowatt-hour.

Island-by-Island Variation

Neighbor islands generally have higher rates than Oahu due to smaller scale operations:

• Oahu: ~43 cents/kWh for a typical 500 kWh customer, average bill ~$199
• Maui County (Maui, Lanai, Molokai): Higher than Oahu; Lanai and Molokai customers use less (~400 kWh/month) but face higher per-kWh rates
• Hawaii Island (Big Island): Higher than Oahu; some geothermal generation helps
• Kauai: ~40.39 cents/kWh; KIUC's cooperative model and 50% renewable mix offer slightly different economics

Kauai's rates jumped 13% from March to April 2026 alone due to the oil price spike — adding roughly $25 per month for a 500 kWh customer. This kind of month-to-month volatility is a defining feature of Hawaii's electricity costs.

Rate Trends

• Rates peaked around 2022 during the global energy price spike
• Since then, average rates have trended slightly downward but remain elevated roughly 21% above pre-2022 levels
• 2024 brought a 7% decrease in typical residential bills, and Hawaiian Electric returned $18 million in bill credits
• 2025-2026 rates decreased about 1.8% year-over-year before the April 2026 oil price shock
• April 2026: Hawaiian Electric warned of 20-30% bill increases over the coming months due to surging global oil prices

The pattern is clear: Hawaii's bills swing with global oil markets. When oil is cheap, bills ease. When oil spikes, bills follow within weeks.

Major Utilities

Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI)

Hawaiian Electric Industries is the publicly traded parent company (NYSE: HE) that supplies electricity to 95% of Hawaii's population through three subsidiary utilities serving approximately 307,000 customers combined:

• Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) — Oahu
• Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO) — Big Island
• Maui Electric Company (MECO) — Maui, Lanai, Molokai

HECO burns approximately 786,000 barrels of oil per month to generate electricity. Total firm generating capability is about 1,614.5 MW.

The Maui Wildfire Crisis

The August 2023 Lahaina wildfire — which killed over 100 people and destroyed the historic town — fundamentally changed Hawaiian Electric's financial trajectory. The company's equipment was implicated as a cause of the fire.

In August 2024, a $4.037 billion global settlement was announced involving HECO, the State of Hawaii, Maui County, and landowners. HECO's share is approximately $1.92 billion, to be paid in four annual installments of roughly $479 million. The Hawaii Supreme Court cleared the path for payments in February 2026.

HEI reported a $1.4 billion loss for 2024. The company's stock price dropped approximately 60% after the fires, and its credit rating was downgraded to junk status. Bankruptcy was seriously discussed but avoided — critical because HECO serves 95% of the state and there is no alternative provider.

HECO's CEO stated that customers will not directly pay for the wildfire settlement. However, insurance premiums skyrocketed after the fires, and those increased costs are being partially recovered through the 2026 rate case. The financial shadow of the Lahaina fire will hang over Hawaiian Electric — and its ratepayers — for years.

2026 Rate Case

In March 2026, Hawaiian Electric filed for rate increases across all three utilities:

Island	Proposed Increase	Est. Monthly Impact (500 kWh)
Oahu	5% over two years	+$8 in 2027, +$3 in 2028
Hawaii Island	5.8%	+$12 in 2027, +$3 in 2028
Maui County	6.4%	+$11 in 2027, +$3 in 2028

The increases would generate an additional $170 million annually for the company over five years. If approved, the higher base rates would be locked in until 2032 with inflation adjustments. Three factors are driving the request: inflation exceeding the regulatory allowance, insurance premiums skyrocketing post-wildfire, and accelerated depreciation of fossil fuel plants slated for early retirement.

It has been over five years since the last base rate update for any of the three HECO utilities.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC)

KIUC is the exception in Hawaii's utility landscape — a member-owned cooperative serving approximately 38,000 members on Kauai. KIUC's board has set a target of 100% renewable energy by 2033, twelve years ahead of the state mandate. The cooperative currently generates about 50% of its electricity from renewables using fixed-price contracts, and on sunny days achieves 100% renewable generation.

Two new solar-plus-storage projects announced in March 2025 target 80% renewable by 2028. The Mana Solar + Storage project alone is estimated to save members $6.4 million in the first year and $370 million over 25 years.

KIUC demonstrates something important: fixed-price renewable contracts insulate ratepayers from oil price volatility. When oil spiked in March 2026, the renewable portion of Kauai's generation did not get more expensive. As KIUC's renewable share grows, the cooperative's exposure to oil price shocks shrinks — a model the HECO islands are pursuing but have not yet achieved at the same scale.

The Failed NextEra Acquisition

In December 2014, NextEra Energy (parent of Florida Power & Light) announced a $4.3 billion merger to acquire HEI. NextEra promised rate credits, investment funds, and a rate case moratorium. In July 2016, the Hawaii PUC rejected the merger, citing concerns about the risk of NextEra bankruptcy affecting Hawaii, inadequate promised benefits, and potential loss of local control.

The rejection kept Hawaiian Electric under local ownership during the critical renewable energy transition. In hindsight, it also left HECO financially vulnerable to the Maui wildfire crisis without the backing of a large mainland parent company.

Why Hawaii's Electricity Is the Most Expensive in America

1. Petroleum Dependency — The Dominant Cost Driver

Hawaii is the only state where petroleum is the dominant fuel for electricity generation. Oil accounts for roughly 61% of electricity generation and about 90% of total energy consumption — the highest petroleum share of any state. Most mainland states shifted away from oil for electricity decades ago.

Fuel costs make up approximately 50% of a typical Hawaiian Electric residential bill. Because all fuel must be imported by ship, transportation costs add another layer on top of already volatile global oil prices. When oil markets spike — as they did dramatically in March 2026 — Hawaiian households feel it immediately. The fuel cost adjustment on your bill changes monthly, tracking global prices in near-real time.

2. Island Grid Isolation

Like Alaska, Hawaii has no connection to any outside power grid. But Hawaii's isolation is even more extreme: the islands do not even connect to each other. Each island operates as a completely standalone electrical system. There is no way to share surplus power between islands during emergencies or peak demand, and no way to import cheap electricity from the mainland when local generation is expensive.

This isolation forces each island to maintain its own reserve capacity and redundant distribution infrastructure — costs that are spread across a tiny customer base compared to mainland utilities serving millions.

3. Small Scale of Operations

The entire state has roughly 345,000 electric utility customers — HECO's 307,000 plus KIUC's 38,000. A mid-sized mainland utility might serve that many customers in a single metro area. Small scale means no economies of scale in generation, maintenance, procurement, or administration. Everything costs more per customer.

4. Tropical Infrastructure Costs

Salt air, humidity, tropical storms, and lava flows accelerate equipment degradation. The remote Pacific location means higher shipping costs for equipment and materials. Construction and maintenance labor carry an island premium. Grid modernization to accommodate high solar penetration requires additional investment on top of baseline maintenance.

5. Renewable Transition Costs

Hawaii is investing heavily in solar, wind, battery storage, and grid modernization to meet its 100% renewable target by 2045. These investments require capital spending that flows into rates. During the transition, legacy fossil fuel plants must be maintained and operated alongside new renewable generation — paying for two systems simultaneously.

6. Wildfire Aftermath

The Maui wildfire's financial impact on HECO is not charged directly to ratepayers as a settlement cost. But the indirect effects are real: skyrocketing insurance premiums, accelerated depreciation of aging infrastructure, and the financial strain on a utility that reported a $1.4 billion loss in 2024. These costs show up in the 2026 rate case and will influence rates for years.

2025 Generation Mix

Source	Share
Oil/Petroleum	~61%
Solar (grid-scale)	~22%
Solar (behind-the-meter/rooftop)	~14%
Wind	~5%
Other (biomass, geothermal, hydro)	Small

Renewables reached 37% of total generation in 2025 across Hawaiian Electric's five islands — up from 36% in 2024 and 31% in 2023. Every percentage point that shifts from oil to renewables reduces the share of your bill exposed to global oil price volatility.

Understanding Your Hawaii Electricity Bill

Hawaiian Electric bills include more components than most mainland utilities. Understanding each one helps you spot where the money goes.

Bill Components

1. Customer Charge: Fixed monthly fee covering meter reading, billing, and account maintenance — charged regardless of how much electricity you use
2. Energy Charge (base rate per kWh): Covers generation and delivery costs excluding fuel. Set through formal PUC rate cases — relatively stable between cases (every 5+ years)
3. Fuel Cost Recovery / Energy Cost Adjustment: The biggest variable component and the reason your bill swings with oil prices. Adjusted monthly based on actual oil prices and purchased power costs. This is the line item that can cause 20-30% bill swings in a matter of months
4. Purchased Power Adjustment: Recovers non-energy costs from independent power producers
5. Revenue Balancing Account (RBA): A decoupling mechanism that can be a charge or credit. Supports HECO's clean energy transition by separating revenue from sales volume
6. IRP Cost Recovery: Recovers costs of long-term energy planning and energy management
7. Public Benefits Fund (PBF) Surcharge: Funds Hawaii Energy, the third-party administrator of statewide energy efficiency programs
8. Renewable Infrastructure Program: Recovers costs of projects that facilitate renewable energy development and grid integration
9. Green Infrastructure Fee: Supports the GEMS program providing low-cost loans for green infrastructure improvements

The Fuel Cost Adjustment Is Everything

The single most important thing to understand about your Hawaii electric bill is the fuel cost adjustment. It changes monthly and directly tracks global oil prices. When oil is at $60 per barrel, your bill is manageable. When oil spikes to $90 or $100, your bill can jump 20-30% within weeks. The base rate stays relatively stable between rate cases, but the fuel adjustment makes every month a new surprise.

This volatility is the strongest argument for solar and battery storage in Hawaii. If you generate your own electricity, the fuel cost adjustment does not apply to those kWh. If you store solar energy in a battery and use it during the expensive evening peak, you avoid both the high base rate and the fuel adjustment.

Solar and Renewable Energy in Hawaii

The National Leader in Rooftop Solar

Hawaii is the most solar-saturated state in America:

• 45% of single-family homes served by Hawaiian Electric have rooftop solar
• On Oahu specifically, 50% of single-family homes have solar
• Over 120,000 rooftop solar systems are connected to Hawaiian Electric's grids
• Customer-sited rooftop solar and battery storage surpassed 1 gigawatt of generating capacity in September 2025
• Total solar capacity (residential, commercial, grid-scale) reached 1.6 GW in 2025 — an 11% increase over 2024

The 100% Renewable Mandate

In 2015, Hawaii became the first state to legislate a 100% renewable portfolio standard — requiring 100% of electricity from renewable sources by 2045. Progress so far:

• 30% by 2020 — met
• 37% achieved in 2025
• 40% target by 2030
• 70% by 2040
• 100% by 2045

Progress was dampened in 2025 by a 2.5% increase in electricity demand — the highest year-over-year load growth since 2004. More demand means more oil burned until renewable capacity catches up.

Net Metering Is Gone — What Replaced It

Hawaii was the first state to end traditional net metering in October 2015. Under the original program, solar customers received full retail credit for energy exported to the grid. The PUC closed net metering because the high level of solar adoption was shifting costs to non-solar customers.

The replacement programs pay significantly less for exported energy:

• Customer Self-Supply (CSS): Systems sized to minimize grid exports. No compensation for exported energy.
• Smart Export: Pays varying rates by time of day — on Maui, roughly 7 cents/kWh during daytime (when solar is abundant), 18 cents/kWh during evening peak, and 13 cents/kWh overnight. These rates are far below the 40+ cent retail rate.
• Smart DER: Current program launched April 2024, setting payment rates for grid-exported energy.

The takeaway: self-consumption is king in Hawaii. The economics now strongly favor using your own solar electricity directly rather than exporting it to the grid. This is why battery storage has become so important — storing midday solar production to use during the expensive evening peak (5-10 PM) when oil-fired generation ramps up.

Battery Storage

Battery storage is critical for maximizing solar value in Hawaii:

• Battery Bonus Program: Offered $850/kW upfront credit — closed July 1, 2024
• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD/BYOD Plus): Replaced Battery Bonus. Offers $100/kW upfront credit plus ongoing monthly export credits. Launched May 2025. Half of BYOD Plus capacity is reserved for low- and moderate-income households.

With export credit rates far below retail, a battery that lets you use your own solar during the evening peak can save you the difference between ~7 cents (daytime export rate) and ~43 cents (retail rate) — roughly 36 cents per kWh of shifted consumption.

Federal Tax Credit — Expired

The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit expired on January 1, 2026, eliminated early by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed July 4, 2025. Systems installed after December 31, 2025 do not qualify.

Remaining State Incentives

• Hawaii Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit (RETITC): 35% of system cost, up to a $5,000 cap — much smaller than the federal credit was, but still available
• Honolulu property tax exemption: 25-year exemption on added property value from solar panels (Honolulu County)
• GEMS On-Bill Financing: 5.5% interest for up to 20 years for low- to middle-income homeowners — can finance solar, batteries, and efficiency upgrades with no credit score minimum for some programs

Does Solar Still Make Sense Without the Federal Credit?

At 40+ cents per kWh, solar in Hawaii pays back faster than almost anywhere else in the country — even without the federal credit. The state RETITC provides a smaller but still meaningful 35% credit (capped at $5,000). The key is maximizing self-consumption through battery storage rather than relying on export credits. A well-sized solar-plus-battery system that displaces most grid purchases will pay for itself considerably faster in Hawaii than the same system would at mainland rates.

Strategies to Lower Your Hawaii Electricity Bill

1. Install Solar With Battery Storage

This is the single highest-impact action available to a Hawaii homeowner. At 40+ cents per kWh, every solar kWh you use directly saves you more than twice what it would on the mainland. Adding battery storage lets you capture midday solar production and use it during the expensive evening peak (5-10 PM), when oil-fired generation drives rates highest. The RETITC covers 35% of cost up to $5,000. GEMS on-bill financing offers 5.5% interest for up to 20 years for qualifying homeowners. The BYOD Plus program provides additional battery incentives.

2. Shift Usage Away From the Evening Peak

Whether or not you have solar, the evening peak (5-10 PM) is when Hawaiian Electric's generation costs are highest — oil plants ramp up as solar production drops. Shifting your heaviest electricity use to daytime (when solar is abundant on the grid) or late night reduces your contribution to peak demand and positions you for savings if TOU rates expand. Run your dishwasher, laundry, and pool pump during midday hours.

3. Maximize Self-Consumption If You Have Solar

With export credits paying far less than the retail rate, every kWh you use directly from your panels is worth far more than one you send to the grid. Align your heaviest electricity use with solar production hours (9 AM to 3 PM). Run appliances during the day. Charge EVs during midday solar production. If you have a battery, store excess for evening use rather than exporting.

4. Check BYOD Plus Eligibility

If you already have or are adding battery storage, the BYOD Plus program offers $100/kW upfront plus ongoing monthly credits for allowing Hawaiian Electric to dispatch your battery during peak demand. Half the program capacity is reserved for low- and moderate-income households.

5. Use Hawaii Energy Rebates

Hawaii Energy — funded by the Public Benefits Fund surcharge on all ratepayers' bills — offers rebates on energy-efficient appliances, LED lighting, and weatherization measures. These programs are available statewide and can reduce your baseline electricity consumption. Check hawaiienergy.com for current rebates.

6. Consider GEMS Financing

The Green Energy Market Securitization (GEMS) program provides on-bill financing at 5.5% interest for up to 20 years for solar, batteries, and efficiency upgrades. Some programs have no credit score minimum, making it accessible to low- and moderate-income homeowners who might not qualify for traditional solar loans.

7. Monitor Your Fuel Cost Adjustment

Watch the fuel cost adjustment line on your monthly bill. When oil prices spike, that line jumps — and those are the months when conservation has the most impact. Even small reductions in usage during high-oil-price months can save meaningful dollars at Hawaii's rates.

8. Upgrade Appliances and Lighting

At 40+ cents per kWh, inefficient appliances cost dramatically more to operate in Hawaii than on the mainland. Replacing an old refrigerator that uses 500 kWh per year saves roughly $200 annually at Hawaii rates. LED lighting, efficient air conditioning units (if applicable), and Energy Star appliances all deliver outsized returns. A home energy monitor can identify which circuits are consuming the most.

Low-Income Assistance Programs

LIHEAP (Hawaii Home Energy Assistance Program / H-HEAP)

Hawaii's federal LIHEAP program is administered through the Department of Human Services and delivered through four community action agencies — one per county:

• HCAP (Honolulu Community Action Program) — Oahu
• HCEOC (Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council) — Big Island
• KEO (Kauai Economic Opportunity) — Kauai
• MEO (Maui Economic Opportunity) — Maui, Molokai, Lanai

FY 2025 benefits:

Benefit	Amount
Heating/cooling assistance	$280 - $1,400
Crisis assistance	Up to $700

Eligibility: Household income at or below 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines

Program period: October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026 (year-round for weatherization and crisis assistance)

Priority groups: Elderly (60+), persons with disabilities, families with children, high energy users, households with high energy burden

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

Federal WAP funding for Hawaii is relatively small ($317,619 plus $74,582 in Weatherization Readiness Funds for PY 2025) because tropical Hawaii has fewer traditional weatherization needs than cold-climate states. But efficiency improvements — particularly around air conditioning, refrigeration, and water heating — are still available for qualifying households at 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines.

GEMS On-Bill Financing

The state's GEMS program provides low-cost financing (5.5% for up to 20 years) for solar panels, battery storage, and energy efficiency upgrades. Available to low- and moderate-income homeowners, with some programs requiring no minimum credit score. This is one of the most accessible paths to solar for households that cannot afford upfront costs.

Hawaiian Electric Bill Assistance

Hawaiian Electric offers various payment plans and hardship programs for customers struggling to pay their bills. Contact your utility directly to discuss options.

Getting Started

Contact your island's community action agency or call 2-1-1 for referrals to available assistance programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is electricity so expensive in Hawaii?

Hawaii has the highest electricity rates in the nation primarily because the state generates about 61% of its electricity from imported petroleum — the only state where oil is the dominant fuel for power generation. All fuel must be shipped across the Pacific, adding transportation costs on top of volatile global oil prices. Additionally, each island operates its own isolated electrical grid with no interconnection to the mainland or between islands, and the small customer base (~345,000 total) means fixed costs are spread over fewer ratepayers. Fuel costs alone make up roughly 50% of a typical residential bill.

Can I choose my electricity provider in Hawaii?

No. Hawaii is a fully regulated electricity market. Your utility is determined by your location: Hawaiian Electric serves Oahu, Hawaii Electric Light serves the Big Island, Maui Electric serves Maui/Lanai/Molokai, and Kauai Island Utility Cooperative serves Kauai. There is no retail competition or provider choice for residential customers.

How much is the average electric bill in Hawaii?

The average residential electric bill in Hawaii is approximately $203 to $213 per month — the highest in the nation. This is despite Hawaiian households using the least electricity of any state (about 509 kWh per month versus the national average of roughly 900 kWh). Nearly 45% of single-family homes have rooftop solar, which helps offset grid purchases for many households.

Is solar worth it in Hawaii without the federal tax credit?

Yes. Even without the 30% federal ITC (which expired January 1, 2026), solar remains a strong investment in Hawaii because of extremely high electricity rates. At 40+ cents per kWh, each solar kWh you generate offsets more than twice the cost it would on the mainland. The Hawaii RETITC still provides a 35% state credit up to $5,000. The key is maximizing self-consumption through battery storage rather than relying on export credits (which pay far less than retail). GEMS on-bill financing at 5.5% for up to 20 years makes solar accessible even without large upfront savings.

What is happening with Hawaiian Electric and the Maui wildfire?

Hawaiian Electric was implicated in the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire that killed over 100 people. A $4.037 billion global settlement was reached in August 2024, with HECO responsible for approximately $1.92 billion paid over four annual installments. The Hawaii Supreme Court cleared the path for payments in February 2026. While HECO's CEO stated customers will not directly pay for the settlement, the aftermath has driven up insurance premiums that are being partially recovered through the 2026 rate increase request. HEI reported a $1.4 billion loss for 2024.

Will Hawaii electricity rates go up or down?

Short-term: likely up significantly. Global oil price spikes could push bills up 20-30% in the coming months. Hawaiian Electric has also filed for a 5-6.4% base rate increase effective 2027-2028. Medium-term: if the rate case is approved, base rates would be locked until 2032 with inflation adjustments, and as more renewables come online the fuel cost component should decrease. Long-term: Hawaii's transition to 100% renewable energy by 2045 should eventually reduce the fuel cost volatility that drives rate swings. Kauai's experience shows that fixed-price renewable contracts can offer meaningful price stability.

How does Kauai differ from the other islands?

Kauai is served by the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC), a member-owned cooperative rather than investor-owned Hawaiian Electric. KIUC targets 100% renewable energy by 2033 — 12 years ahead of the state mandate — and currently generates about 50% of its power from renewables with fixed-price contracts. On sunny days, Kauai achieves 100% renewable generation. This means Kauai is less exposed to oil price volatility than the HECO islands, and new solar-plus-storage projects could save members hundreds of millions over their contract lives.

Your Hawaii Electricity Action Plan

This week:

1. Pull up your most recent bill and identify the fuel cost adjustment — this single line item tells you how much oil prices are costing you each month. Our guide on how to read your electric bill and spot overcharges explains each component.
2. Check your monthly kWh usage. If you are above 509 kWh (the state average), there are likely efficiency gains to capture.
3. If you already have solar, check your export credits versus self-consumption. Every kWh you use directly is worth far more than one you export.

This month:

4. If you have solar but no battery, get quotes for battery storage. At current rates, the spread between daytime export credit (~7 cents) and evening retail rate (~43 cents) makes battery storage exceptionally valuable in Hawaii.
5. Check BYOD Plus eligibility if you have or are adding a battery. The $100/kW upfront credit plus ongoing monthly export credits add meaningful value.
6. Visit hawaiienergy.com for current appliance and efficiency rebates funded by the Public Benefits Fund.
7. If you are income-eligible, contact your island's community action agency to apply for H-HEAP assistance ($280-$1,400).

This year:

8. If you do not have solar, get quotes from multiple installers. Even without the federal credit, Hawaii's 40+ cent rates and the state RETITC (35% up to $5,000) make the payback math work faster than almost anywhere else. GEMS on-bill financing at 5.5% for up to 20 years makes solar accessible without large upfront costs.
9. Size your system for self-consumption rather than export. Add battery storage to capture midday production for evening use. This is where the real savings are in Hawaii's post-net-metering landscape.
10. Replace your most power-hungry appliances. At Hawaii's rates, an inefficient old refrigerator or water heater costs dramatically more to run than on the mainland. Every efficiency improvement saves more dollars per kWh here than anywhere else.

If you are struggling right now:

11. Contact your island's community action agency for H-HEAP assistance:
    • Oahu: HCAP
    • Big Island: HCEOC
    • Kauai: KEO
    • Maui/Molokai/Lanai: MEO
12. Call Hawaiian Electric or KIUC directly about payment plans and hardship programs.
13. Dial 2-1-1 for local assistance referrals.
14. Check GEMS financing eligibility — low-cost loans for solar and efficiency upgrades can permanently reduce your bills even if you cannot afford upfront costs.

For the long term:

15. Watch the 2026 rate case proceedings. If approved, base rates would increase 5-6.4% and be locked until 2032. The PUC's decision will shape your electricity costs for years.
16. Track oil prices. Your fuel cost adjustment line moves directly with global oil markets. When oil is elevated, conservation has the most dollar impact.
17. Follow KIUC's model as a leading indicator. If the cooperative reaches 80% renewable by 2028 and 100% by 2033, the resulting rate stability will build the case for faster renewable adoption across the HECO islands.
18. Every dollar you invest in solar, battery storage, and efficiency is a hedge against oil price volatility. The March 2026 oil spike showed how quickly bills can jump 20-30% — and the only customers fully insulated from that shock are the ones generating and storing their own power.

Hawaii's electricity story is ultimately about one thing: oil dependency. As long as 61% of the state's power comes from imported petroleum, every global conflict, supply disruption, and price spike will arrive directly on your electric bill within weeks. The path to lower, more predictable electricity costs runs through the same transition Hawaii has already committed to — solar, battery storage, and eventually offshore wind. Kauai is proving it works. The question for the rest of the state is how fast the transition can move. In the meantime, every kWh you generate yourself, every kWh you store in a battery, and every kWh you eliminate through efficiency is one less kWh priced at whatever oil costs today.