Hawaiian Electric’s residential customers will get a break this month, as compared to a year ago: A typical residential bill on Oahu is $6.54 lower than in May 2022. And on Hawaii island, the newly online Waikoloa Solar + Storage project should reduce residential bills by about $5 a month, beginning in June.

Kauai and the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) continue to lead the state in use of renewable energy, generating 60.2% of energy used on Kauai in 2022, and with the lowest energy rates in Hawaii for much of the year. In March, however, KIUC made its first rate hike request since 2010 — seeking 9.4%, citing inflation and fixed costs.