I’m immune to pressure, Iwase says

Randy Iwase, chairman of the state Public Utilities Commission, said Tuesday recent statements from politicians — including Gov. David Ige and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz — will not affect his decision on whether to approve NextEra Energy Inc.’s purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries.

In an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Iwase also said the commission’s decision on the $4.3 billion proposed sale of the state’s largest electrical utility could come later than the June target date he previously mentioned.

Iwase made the comments one day after Schatz said he wants the PUC to focus on NextEra’s renewable energy and cost-cutting capabilities when deciding whether the Florida company is fit to purchase HEI.

“At least for me, maybe because I have been in the political system for a long time — and I’m old and bald — I feel no pressure whatsoever” from politicians, Iwase said.

Schatz also said Monday he was concerned the HEI sale could divert attention from other important issues awaiting decisions from the PUC.

“I kind of chuckled when I read what the senator said,” Iwase said, adding that the PUC staff is capable of multitasking. “We’re ambidextrous. We can do (several) things at once. So there should be no worries.”

The PUC’s is the final approval needed for NextEra to purchase HEI. The purchase has been approved by HEI shareholders and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

State politicians have been voicing their opinions about NextEra since the company announced in December it wants to buy HEI.

Ige said in July he is opposed to the sale “in its current form,” and earlier this month 40 state lawmakers held a news conference to say the state should look into alternative ownership models for HEI.

Iwase said the PUC is “an independent body” and that the politicians’ statements will have no influence over his review of NextEra.

“The governor can express his view, and he is welcome to it,” Iwase said. “I can understand why he took that position. He is developing his own policy. This is not part of his energy policy. … He has a job to do. He is the executive. He leads in policy creation, he leads in policy initiatives. … We’re here to implement policy.”

The PUC review has proved the most problematic hurdle for supporters of the NextEra deal. None of the 28 official intervening groups in the case has supported the proposed sale in its current form.

Most of the organizations — including the U.S. Department of Defense — said they either oppose the purchase or could accept it only with conditions.

Last month NextEra updated its proposal, adding more than 50 commitments, including supporting the state’s goal to reach 100 percent electrical generation coming from renewables by 2045, committing to more than $465 million in customer savings and $500 million in economic benefits for the state over a five-year period, and accelerating the development of smart grids throughout the isles. The savings for residential users are estimated to be $372 per Oahu customer over five years.

In December the PUC will host 12 days of intervener hearings at Blaisdell Center. If the hearings finish in December, a June decision on the sale is likely. If they don’t, Iwase said, the commission’s final decision will be pushed past June.

“It’s not a deadline to me,” Iwase said. “We’re not gonna rush to do it.”

The PUC is also holding a series of public listening sessions on all main Hawaiian Islands. The Oahu hearing is set for Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. at McKinley High School.

Iwase said the role of the PUC in the NextEra decision is similar to that of an umpire.

“It’s like a call at a baseball game — a close call at the base,” Iwase said. “People are going to be mad at the umpire (or) people are going to support him. We can’t worry about that. We got to make the call.”