Utility customers will see a 1.6 percent increase to their Hawaii Electric Light Co. (HELCO) bills as the result of annual adjustments approved last week by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.
Utility customers will see a 1.6 percent increase to their Hawaii Electric Light Co. (HELCO) bills as the result of annual adjustments approved last week by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.
Effective as of Saturday, the “revenue decoupling adjustments” will mean an increase of $3.17 for the average Hawaii Island household, which uses 500 kilowatt hours a month.
First approved in Hawaii in 2010, decoupling is a regulatory model adopted by many states that supports efforts to increase integration of renewable energy and encourage higher levels of energy efficiency.
“Decoupling breaks the traditional link between utility revenues and sales of electricity,” reads a release from Hawaiian Electric Company, HELCO’s parent company. “It encourages the utilities to help customers lower their electricity use and their bills and has helped facilitate the growth of clean energy throughout the state.”