According to a statement issued by the Hawaiian Electric Company, Oahu residents can expect higher electrical bills in June 2014. This is due in part to a slight higher electrical rates, 34.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in June as compared to 33.5 cents per kilowatt-hour a month before, and mainly because of a new sales decoupling tariff that was approved by the state Public Utilities Commission. The decoupling tariff will come out to be about $4 per household and will help HECO cover their fixed cost as they begin to develop and install renewable energy sources. Darren Pai, the spokesman for the Hawaiian Electric Company, stated, "We are continuing to work on lowering customers' bills by developing more renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency and pursuing liquefied natural gas as a cheaper, cleaner alternative to expensive imported oil."
Maui Electric Company customers will pay 37.6 cents a kilowatt-hour, up from 37.3 cents in May. Big Island of Hawaii residents will pay 40.0 cents a kilowatt-hour in June, up from 39.8 cents a kilowatt-hour the month before. Kauai residents will pay 42.2 cents a kilowatt-hour, down from 42.7 cents a kilowatt-hour in May. As a point of comparison, the national average cost for electricity was 12.3 cents per kilowatt-hour in March 2014, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 6-13-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
