Hawaii basically doesn’t like or trust the electric company that is powering three of the state’s four islands.

And Hawaii residents are deeply suspicious of Hawaiian Electric’s wish to merge with Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc.

The new Hawaii Poll taken for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Hawaii News Now confirms results from earlier surveys showing Hawaiian Electric has more than just an image problem.

The poll asked residents about both the proposed merger and whether it would lower electric bills.

Politicians will not win votes by announcing their adoration for the $4.3 billion Hawaiian Electric deal.

If you go to the most politically important demographic subsections of the poll, it is easy to say campaigning against the merger makes smart politics.

Half of the registered voters who say they pick a Democratic ballot are against the merger. Even more of those from a union household, 56 percent, say the merger would be bad. And nearly half of those over 55 don’t like the idea.

Among all the demographic groups, only those living in Hawaii for less than 10 years, those under 35 and those making less than $50,000 believe the merger means lower power bills.

This survey comes after one taken by the solar power industry that claims Hawaiian Electric has a "public image problem: an overwhelming number of Hawaii residents (94 percent) support more rooftop solar, and 90 percent believe that HECO is slowing rooftop solar to protect its profits."

Hawaiian Electric is just now clearing up the backlog of approvals needed for already installed rooftop solar systems. Also it is announcing that it wants to broaden its permission process.

That movement does little to resolve two of Hawaiian Electric’s problems: First, the public doesn’t believe Hawaiian Electric, and second, the state Legislature is moving into position to examine the industry. Legislative scrutiny rarely ends with a congratulatory resolution.

Rep. Chris Lee, the Kailua Democrat who heads the Energy and Environmental Protection Committee, is starting hearings on the merger and is looking for ways to strengthen the Public Utilities Commission.

The PUC must approve the deal with NextEra, but Lee said there are a lot of questions to be answered first.

"We really need to beef up the PUC and give them resources, potentially give them additional funding and the ability to dig into the merger," Lee said in an interview.

Although voters may reflexively mistrust the electric company and hate paying the highest electric bills in the nation, they have been without any alternative until this coming of rooftop solar.

And that complicates the entire question.

The problem with photovoltaic systems is that until affordable energy storage systems are available, the electric company still has to send power to your house at night.

In essence, those without solar and with $200 electric bills are subsidizing those with solar, paying just $17 a month.

Now if the lawmakers are going to make a difference, they have to legislate more than good intentions.

More than just cheaper electric rates, Hawaii needs to know it has a fair and reliable system of nonpolluting power — and so far, NextEra and Hawaiian Electric are offering only promises.

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Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.