The Public Utilities Commission will begin hosting seven public listening sessions in September for residents to comment on the proposed $4.3 billion sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to NextEra Energy Inc., according to an order filed by the PUC on Tuesday.

The public listening sessions will be held from the beginning of September through the end of October. The commission will host one session on Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Kauai and Oahu. Two sessions are scheduled for Hawaii island.

At the meetings, the public can address the commission about NextEra’s purchase of HEI.

The 28 official “intervenors,” or groups participating in the PUC review process, will have a separate set of hearings to voice their opinions, the PUC said. The intervenors, HEI and NextEra will be able to testify at those hearings. The commission will host the intervenor hearings at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center. The hearings will be held Nov. 30 through Dec. 3, Dec. 7 through 11, and Dec. 14 through 16. The public is allowed to attend but not speak at the hearings unless a party involved asks for a closed meeting.

The purchase of HEI needs to be approved by the PUC, which is expected to make a decision by June.

Nextera Public Listening Sessions