Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, October 25, 2012
Senator, 1000 Ratepayers Call for Lower Electric Bills
By News Release @ 10:02 PM :: 10024 Views :: Hawaii County , Akaka Bill, Energy, Environment

1,000+ Hawaii Island Residents Say ‘No!’ To HELCO Rate Increase

Ask Governor To Stop Utility Monopoly From Punishing Island For Big Profits

News Release from Senate Democratic Caucus

More than 1,000 Hawaii Island residents have taken a strong public stand against a proposed rate increase by Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO).  Reacting to what are already punishingly high electric rates, these residents have signed a petition sponsored by Senator Malama Solomon, who represents District 1 (Waimea, Hamakua, North Hilo, Rural South Hilo, and Hilo).

Senator Solomon sees this expression of public opposition as a clear mandate from her district to:

1)      Demand the Governor and Public Utilities Commission (and State Consumer Protector) deny HELCO’s proposed rate increase, especially given recent significant profits reported by both HELCO and its parent company, Hawaiian  Electric Light Co. (HECO);

2)      Urge the Governor to rescind Executive Agreements between the State of Hawaii, the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) and HECO that were put in place in 2008 by former Governor Linda Lingle.  These agreements effectively relinquished the State of Hawaii’s control of its energy policy to HECO, and thereby enabled HECO to function as an unregulated monopoly focused on profits for its stockholders rather than stable, lowest-possible-cost electricity for the families and business of Hawai’i.   These agreements sanctioned HECO as a state supported energy monopoly and enabled passing on to rate payers all costs for HECO’s expansion and diversification away from fossil fuels.

Reacting to HECO’s reported $29.4 million in income for the 2nd Quarter of 2012 – which was about 70% more profit than it earned in the same quarter in 2011, petition signers and Sen. Solomon also are asking the Governor, PUC and Consumer Protector to demand that the public utility shoulder costs for timely transition away from fossil fuels and not place the burden of this transition on the consumer.  Further, Sen. Solomon will be asking the PUC to adopt as a matter of public policy a requirement that the utility provider must swiftly make the transition from fossil fuels to “stable, lower cost electricity” – not just “renewable alternative fuels” -- to relieve constituents of high and continually escalating rates.

Sen. Solomon will be presenting the 1,000+-name petition to a PUC hearing on HELCO’s proposed rate increase at 6 p.m., Tues., Oct. 30 at Kealakehe High School.  All interested Hawai’i Island residents are urged to attend this PUC hearing in Kona, or a companion hearing at 6 p.m., Mon., Oct. 29 at Hilo High School Cafeteria, to speak out against the proposed rate increase.

---30---

Related: Geothermal Producer Offers to Cut Electric Bills 

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii