PUC to enforce strict timeline at NextEra hearings

The state Public Utilities Commission said Wednesday it will not be flexible with the 12-day timeline for the upcoming trial-like hearings in its regulatory review of NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries.

The PUC will host 12 days of intervenor, or official participant, hearings at the Blaisdell Center Hawaii Suites starting Nov. 30.

The hearings will have PUC Chairman Randy Iwase in the role of judge.

First, the state Consumer Advocate and the 25 intervenors — which include state agencies, environmental groups and others — will cross-examine HEI and NextEra witnesses.

Currently all 25 intervenors either oppose the sale or want certain conditions met before they approve the sale.

The first witnesses for NextEra and HEI will be Alan Oshima, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Co., and Eric Gleason, president of NextEra Energy Hawaii. There are 12 witnesses for NextEra and HEI in total.

NextEra and HEI will then have the opportunity to question the witnesses that the intervenors quoted in their written testimony on the case.

The hearings are open to the public and will be from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, Dec. 7 to 11, and Dec. 14 to 16. Each hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. and last until 5 p.m.

Tom Gorak, chief counsel at the PUC, said at an organizational meeting for the hearings that the PUC will enforce the strict timeline.

“I do want to underscore a message from the chair,” Gorak said. “We’re not going to slow this down. We have 12 days. We are going to get this done.”

State regulators enforced the need to finish the hearings in 12 days in response to schedule conflicts brought up by multiple intervenors as some witnesses would be flying in from the mainland.

“We will not slow down the proceedings. Your turn comes up, your turn comes up,” Gorak said. “We will attempt to accommodate the witnesses in order, but we will not slow down the proceedings.”

In September, Iwase said if the hearings finish in December, a June decision on the sale is likely. If they don’t, the commission’s final decision will be pushed past June.

“If we finish in December, the possibilities are good,” Iwase said. “If we get halfway through the hearing in December, we have to reschedule in January, maybe February.”

After the hearings, the groups involved will have time to file closing briefs; the PUC will then review the documents before a final decision is made.