Several Hawaii environmental and renewable energy groups asked Wednesday that the Public Utilities Commission make a decision on Hawaiian Electric Co.’s clean-energy transition plan put forth in August before making a decision on the proposed sale of the utility to NextEra Energy Inc.

The Alliance for Solar Choice, Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaii PV Coalition, Hawaii Solar Energy Association and Sierra Club of Hawaii petitioned the PUC to complete plans for Hawaii’s clean energy future before reviewing the Juno Beach, Fla.-based energy company’s proposal to buy HEI for $4.3 billion.

HEI is the parent company of Hawaii’s major utilities including Hawaiian Electric Co. Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric Light.

It is in the best interest of the public to have the energy roadmap in place before the deal is reviewed, said the groups.

“Finishing the work we started to plan Hawaii’s energy future is simply common sense,” said Isaac Moriwake, an attorney representing the Sierra Club. “It puts the interests of ratepayers and the public first, rather than letting a private deal drive the process. The legal standard for reviewing a proposed merger is ‘what’s in the public interest,’ and we need to finish the work to define where we’re going before deciding who’ll take us there.”