HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaiian Electric customers should prepare for potential increases in energy costs in the coming months, driven by rising global oil prices linked to escalating geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran.<\/p>\n
As an island state that relies heavily on imported fuel for electricity generation and transportation, Hawaii is particularly sensitive to global fossil fuel price fluctuations. <\/p>\n
These increases will affect electric bills, fuel prices, and other commodities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognize that Hawai\u2018i already faces a high cost of living and that any increase in energy costs places an additional burden on our families and businesses,\u201d said Rebecca Dayhuff Matsushima, Vice President of Customer Service at Hawaiian Electric. \u201cWe want our customers to be informed, prepared, and supported as we navigate this period together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hawaiian Electric is forecasting that typical residential bills may rise between 20% and 30% over the next several months. O\u02bbahu customers will start seeing higher April bills, followed by Hawai\u02bbi Island and Maui County customers who will see increases in May and June.<\/p>\n
To help ease the impact and provide greater financial flexibility, starting April 6, Hawaiian Electric is offering options to help smooth short-term billing spikes, including interest-free payment plans for up to six months. Customer service representatives are ready to assist in helping to create the best plan based on individual needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re committed to supporting our communities during times of uncertainty and we\u2019re hopeful this price surge ends quickly,\u201d Dayhuff Matsushima said. \u201cProviding interest-free payment options is one way we can help customers manage through temporary cost pressures while continuing to meet their energy needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why This Matters<\/p>\n
This moment also underscores why Hawaii is on a long-term path to reduce and ultimately eliminate its dependence on imported oil. Global events highlight the risks of relying on fuel sources that are subject to geopolitical instability and price volatility. <\/p>\n
Hawaiian Electric said continued focus on this path is critical for achieving the state\u2019s clean energy goals and providing more stable and predictable energy costs for customers over the long term.<\/p>\n
Hawaiian Electric has reduced its use of oil by 55 million gallons annually since 2008 and is bringing more than a dozen fixed-price renewable energy projects online in the coming years.<\/p>\n
\u201cA more diverse and locally sourced energy portfolio is essential for Hawai\u2018i,\u201d Dayhuff Matsushima said. \u201cIt strengthens our energy security, reduces our exposure to global market volatility, and supports a more affordable and sustainable future for our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
What Customers Can Do<\/p>\n
Options are available to help customers manage their energy bills, including payment arrangements. Links to resources are available at hawaiianelectric.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hawai\u02bbi Energy is an expert resource that offers rebates and practical energy-saving tips at hawaiienergy.com<\/a>. Some actions to take now:<\/p>\n Reduce the use of anything that generates heat \u2013 water heater, oven, clothes dryer, stove. Consider a heat pump water heater, now available with a rebate of up to $700 from Hawai\u02bbi Energy. It could cut your bill by up to 40%.Turn off the air conditioning or set it at 78 degrees. Even turning it off for an hour helps.Use smart plugs or unplug electronics when not in use, including computers, printers, cable boxes, game devices, and chargers.Consider rooftop solar.\u00a0Hawaiian Electric offers Smart Renewable Energy programs designed to be simpler and more equitable in the long term.<\/a><\/p>\n Oil prices surged immediately after the Iran conflict began on Feb. 28 and have risen about 50% in March. Because of the volatility of the oil market and the constantly changing geopolitical situation, it is difficult to forecast how long Hawaii will see higher prices for gas, electricity, shipping, and other oil-related commodities.<\/p>\n The formula for rates is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission and includes fuel costs that fluctuate with world markets. Hawaiian Electric makes no profit on the fuel used to generate electricity. Under a fuel-cost risk-sharing regulatory mechanism, the company\u2019s shareholders are required to pay some of the cost when oil prices rise too high, resulting in a slightly lower rate for customers.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaiian Electric customers should prepare for potential increases in energy costs in the coming months,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":579669,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[64,63,99,164],"class_list":["post-579668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-business","tag-economy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=579668"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579668\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/579669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=579668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=579668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=579668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}