Hawaii Electricity Rates
Rate data for Hawaii is being refreshed. The regulator and market facts below are current; figures return with the next data load.
Can you choose your electricity supplier in Hawaii?
No. Hawaii has not opened its residential electricity market to competition, so the utility that delivers your power also sells it. Its prices are set in rate cases before the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, and the rate you pay depends on which utility serves your address, your rate schedule, and the season.
Grid operator: No RTO; island grids. Wholesale power costs flow through to retail bills on the regulator's schedule rather than month to month, which is why regulated-state rates move more slowly than the market-based states listed below.
Want to shop for a supplier? Retail choice is open on this site in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington DC.
Hawaii has no supplier to shop for and the highest residential price in the country (48.00 cents/kWh in July 2026, versus 18.31 nationally) because the state runs six independent island grids and most of its energy comes from imported oil, so where you land matters more than any plan: the same kilowatt-hour averaged 40.54 cents on Oahu but 50.02 cents on Lanai in 2025, the per-kWh rate is refiled every month, and the real levers are a one-business-day start with a $20 fee, rooftop solar export credits, and H-HEAP's June-only application window.
Who will deliver your power in Hawaii
The utility is fixed by your address. These are the largest in the state, with what each says it needs from a new customer.
Hawaiian Electric Company (Oahu)investor-owned
All of Oahu, including Honolulu; the Oahu company is the largest of the three Hawaiian Electric utilities, which together serve 95% of Hawaii's residents on Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii Island. About 310,789 Oahu customers as of 12/31/2025 (per Hawaiian Electric Power Facts); 474,241 across all five islands.
Hawaiian Electric asks for one business day advance notice to start or move service, charges a $20 service establishment fee, and reconnects a shut-off meter anytime between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the requested date; emergency same-day reconnection costs an additional $25, subject to Company approval. New customers without an account request service through the Online Customer Service Center; the page does not mention ID, SSN or deposit requirements, which are governed by tariff Rules 5 and 6 (see startService).
Start service with Hawaiian Electric Company →Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com
Hawaii Electric Light Company (Hawaii Island)investor-owned
The whole of Hawaii Island (the Big Island), including Hilo and Kona, as a Hawaiian Electric subsidiary; start/stop service, rates pages and assistance programs are shared with Oahu on hawaiianelectric.com. About 91,234 Hawaii Island customers as of 12/31/2025 (per Hawaiian Electric Power Facts).
Same Hawaiian Electric process as Oahu: one business day advance notice, $20 service establishment fee, meter reconnection between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the requested date, and online requests through the Online Customer Service Center. Hawaii Island had the highest 2025 average residential price of the three Hawaiian Electric companies' main islands (45.81 cents/kWh) and 57.3% renewable generation in 2025.
Start service with Hawaii Electric Light Company →Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com
Maui Electric Company (Maui County)investor-owned
Maui, Molokai and Lanai as three separate rate divisions of a Hawaiian Electric subsidiary; each island has its own grid and its own residential rate. About 72,218 Maui County customers as of 12/31/2025 (per Hawaiian Electric Power Facts).
Same Hawaiian Electric process: one business day advance notice, $20 service establishment fee, and reconnection between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the requested date. Maui residential customers' service disconnections are suspended through Oct. 23, 2026 with no late fees or interest during that period (per the Payment Arrangement Options page); Molokai (48.48 cents/kWh) and Lanai (50.02 cents/kWh) had the highest 2025 average residential prices in the Hawaiian Electric system.
Start service with Maui Electric Company →Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com
Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC)cooperative
The island of Kauai; KIUC, formed in November 2002, is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative and the only electric cooperative in Hawaii, with its office at 4463 Pahee Street, Suite 1, Lihue.
To start service at an existing home you submit the Residential Service Application Form plus a copy of a valid government-issued photo ID (and an Assumption Agreement if the home has rooftop solar), by upload, email to info@kiuc.coop, mail or the Lihue drop box; a representative then contacts you with any credit deposit amount, and a $20.00 Service Processing fee and a $0.01 membership fee are billed on your first month's bill. Phone 808.246.4300 (24 hours); office hours Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the page gives no lead time.
Start service with Kauai Island Utility Cooperative →Deposits, ID, and supplier choice in Hawaii
Deposits. Hawaiian Electric's PUC-approved tariff Rule 5 says every applicant must establish credit before service is rendered, by satisfactory credit information or references, 12 consecutive months of prompt payment, substantial equity in property in the service area, a cash deposit under Rule 6, or a satisfactory guarantor; Rule 6 lets the Company require a deposit of not less than $10.00 nor more than the maximum estimated charge for 2 consecutive months of service, paying 6% simple interest, refundable after bills are paid before becoming past due for a continuous 12 months. KIUC's Rule 6 uses the same $10 minimum, two-consecutive-months maximum and 6% interest. (hawaiianelectric.com)
Choosing a supplier. None. Hawaii has no retail electric supplier choice: each island is served by one regulated utility (Hawaiian Electric's three companies serving 95% of residents on Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii Island; KIUC on Kauai), the state operates on 6 independent island grids, and the PUC regulates their rates with the Division of Consumer Advocacy representing consumers in rate cases (https://energy.hawaii.gov/grid-operations-basics/, https://www.hawaiianelectric.com/about-us/power-facts, https://cca.hawaii.gov/dca/).
Hawaii has the highest residential electricity price of any state: 48.00 cents/kWh in July 2026 against a U.S. average of 18.31 (EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A), and Hawaiian Electric says the cost of imported oil is why prices are higher than the mainland, with fuel making up roughly 50% of a typical bill. Rates are re-filed monthly: as of Oct. 1, 2026 the Schedule R customer charge is $13.90/month on Oahu, $13.14 on Hawaii Island and $13.54 in Maui County, with effective energy rates of 45.8 to 49.5 cents/kWh (Oahu), 46.8 to 51.9 (Hawaii Island), 44.6 to 48.0 (Maui), 58.4 to 62.9 (Molokai) and 60.7 to 64.5 (Lanai) depending on usage tier. If you have a billing or service dispute, contact the utility first, then file an informal complaint with the PUC (808-586-2020); the Division of Consumer Advocacy (1-844-808-3222 or 808-586-2780) can help with a formal complaint.
Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, kiuc.coop, energy.hawaii.gov, hawaiianelectric.com, cca.hawaii.gov, eia.gov, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, puc.hawaii.gov, cca.hawaii.gov
Help paying an electric bill in Hawaii
Hawaii Home Energy Assistance Program (H-HEAP, Hawaii's LIHEAP)
Hawaii Department of Human Services, Benefit, Employment & Support Services Division, with applications processed by the Community Action Agency on each island (HCAP on Oahu, MEO in Maui County, KEO on Kauai, HCEOC on Hawaii Island)
Needy households get a one-time payment toward their electric or gas bill, either Energy Credit (applications accepted only June 1 to June 30) or Energy Crisis Intervention for households with a utility disconnection notice (year-round, but monthly approvals are limited); one payment per program year (Oct. 1 to Sept. 30). Applicants submit photo ID, proof of SSN for everyone over age 1, proof of residence, the full current utility bill and prior-month income to their island's Community Action Agency, never to DHS offices; the page and packet do not publish income limits.
Sources: humanservices.hawaii.gov, humanservices.hawaii.gov, hawaiianelectric.com
Weatherization Assistance Program (Hawaii)
Office of Community Services, Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, under a U.S. Department of Energy grant, delivered by Kauai Economic Opportunity, Honolulu Community Action Program, Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council and Maui Economic Opportunity
Households within 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline, with priority for residents 60 and older, persons with disabilities, families with children, high residential energy users and households with a high energy burden; apply through the Community Action Agency in your county.
Source: labor.hawaii.gov
Hawaiian Electric Payment Arrangement Plan and Payment Extension
Hawaiian Electric
Active residential accounts can split the current balance into equal monthly installments over 4 or 6 months or move a past-due balance up to 15 days later, interest-free with late fees waived, by submitting the online Payment Arrangement Request form; payment arrangement information is also provided in Japanese, Chinese, Marshallese, Chuukese, Korean, Vietnamese, Ilocano and Hawaiian.
Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com
Hawaiian Electric Special Medical Needs Rate and Life Support Program
Hawaiian Electric
With a Hawaii-licensed physician's certification (home life-support device, paraplegia/hemiplegia/quadriplegia or multiple sclerosis, life-threatening illness or compromised immune system, or scleroderma with special heating needs), the Non-Fuel Energy Charge drops $0.04/kWh on the first 500 kWh a month (max $20/month); the program is at its 2,000-customer cap and new applicants are waitlisted. Customers on life-support equipment should also enroll in the Life Support Program for case-by-case billing help and advance notice before any disconnection.
Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com
Hawaiian Electric with Hawaii Energy, the GEM$ On-Bill Money Saver Program, Aloha United Way and The Salvation Army
Households enrolled in H-HEAP can get free energy-saving bulbs, water fixtures and power strips installed through Hawaii Energy's Energy Smart 4 Homes while funding lasts; GEM$ offers on-bill financing for solar water heating and rooftop solar for eligible customers; AUW 2-1-1 and The Salvation Army Basic Needs Program offer referrals and short-term utility assistance. The Ohana Energy Gift Program lets anyone pay an electric bill for someone else by mailing a form with a check or money order.
Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com
Programs that change what you pay
- Rooftop solar (net metering)limited
- Classic Net Energy Metering is closed to new Hawaiian Electric customers (existing NEM and NEM Plus customers are not required to transition, and NEM customers can add panels or a battery by enrolling in NEM Plus or NEM Plus Limited Export); new rooftop solar enrolls in Smart Renewable Energy Export, which pays island-specific export credits for 2024-2026 (Oahu 13.5 cents/kWh daytime, 18.9 overnight, 32.9 evening peak; Hawaii Island 10.6/14.8/23.1; Maui 6.6/13.1/18.2) locked for 7 years, trued up annually with leftover credits expiring. The older Customer Grid-Supply, CGS Plus and Smart Export programs are closed and roll into Smart Renewable Energy Export seven years after their contract date; BYOD Plus pays $400 per committed kW (plus $400/kW for low-moderate income households) for a new battery exported in a daily 2-hour window. On Kauai, KIUC's Schedule Q pays for exported power at a monthly avoided-cost rate tied to oil prices, and oversized systems may be curtailed.
Source: hawaiianelectric.com
- Community solarlimited
- Hawaiian Electric's Shared Solar program lets renters, apartment residents and others who cannot put panels on their roof subscribe to a project on their island through a Subscriber Organization and receive a bill credit; small projects (up to 250 kilowatts) are accepted at a fixed credit rate of $0.15 on Oahu and Hawaii Island and $0.165 on Maui, but Hawaiian Electric's capacity table as of April 6, 2026 showed only a handful of active projects and allocations across the five islands, and customers subscribe only as projects are listed at communityenergyhawaii.com.
Source: hawaiianelectric.com
- Time-of-use rateslimited
- Hawaiian Electric's Shift and Save time-of-use rate (daytime 9 a.m.-5 p.m. cheapest, evening peak 5-9 p.m. most expensive, overnight 9 p.m.-9 a.m. in between; e.g. Oahu Schedule R 14.9853 / 44.9559 / 29.9706 cents/kWh) was a one-year pilot that enrolled about 4% of eligible Oahu and Hawaii Island customers at random from Feb. 1, 2024 and closed to new participants on Feb. 1, 2025; the October 2026 effective-rate filing still carries ARD TOU R schedules for each island. KIUC's Schedule TOU-S is a pilot limited to roughly 300 selected Kauai households, charging 75% of the Schedule D energy rate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Source: hawaiianelectric.com
- renewablePortfolioStandardavailable
- Hawaii's statewide goal under the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative is 100 percent clean energy by 2045, with Executive Order 25-01 (January 2025) targeting 100% renewable electricity in Hawaii, Kauai and Maui counties by 2035; Hawaiian Electric reported 36.8% renewable generation in 2025 (Oahu 32.3%, Maui County 41.6%, Hawaii Island 57.3%) and KIUC reached a 69.5% RPS in 2022.
Source: energy.hawaii.gov
Questions people ask before moving to Hawaii
How far ahead should I set up electricity before moving to Hawaii?
Hawaiian Electric (Oahu, Maui County, Hawaii Island) needs one business day advance notice to start or move service, charges a $20 service establishment fee and reconnects a shut-off meter between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the day you request; same-day emergency reconnection costs $25 more and needs Company approval. KIUC on Kauai gives no lead time but requires a completed Residential Service Application and a copy of a government-issued photo ID, then bills a $20 processing fee and $0.01 membership fee on your first statement.
Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, kiuc.coop
Will I have to pay a deposit to start electric service in Hawaii?
Possibly: Hawaiian Electric's Rule 5 requires every applicant to establish credit first, through satisfactory credit references, 12 months of prompt payment history, property equity, a guarantor, or a cash deposit, and Rule 6 caps that deposit at the maximum estimated charge for 2 consecutive months (minimum $10), earning 6% simple interest and refundable after 12 months of on-time payment. KIUC's Rule 6 has the same $10 minimum, two-consecutive-months cap and 6% interest, and KIUC says a representative will contact you with the deposit amount after your application is processed.
Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, kiuc.coop, kiuc.coop
Why is electricity so expensive in Hawaii, and does it differ by island?
Hawaii's residential price was 48.00 cents/kWh in July 2026, the highest of any state and more than two and a half times the 18.31-cent U.S. average, because fuel is roughly half of a typical bill and the islands burn imported oil on six separate grids. Hawaiian Electric's 2025 average residential prices ran from 40.54 cents/kWh on Oahu and 41.58 on Maui to 45.81 on Hawaii Island, 48.48 on Molokai and 50.02 on Lanai, and the per-kWh rate is refiled every month.
Sources: eia.gov, hawaiianelectric.com, energy.hawaii.gov, hawaiianelectric.com
Can I shop for a cheaper electricity supplier in Hawaii?
No. Each island has a single regulated utility (Hawaiian Electric's companies serve 95% of residents across Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii Island; KIUC serves Kauai) and the Public Utilities Commission sets their rates, with the Division of Consumer Advocacy arguing for consumers in rate cases. The ways to lower a bill are usage, rooftop solar export credits, Shared Solar subscriptions where projects exist, and assistance programs, not switching suppliers.
Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, kiuc.coop, cca.hawaii.gov, puc.hawaii.gov
What help is there if I can't afford my Hawaii electric bill?
H-HEAP, Hawaii's LIHEAP, pays a one-time amount toward your electric bill through your island's Community Action Agency: Energy Credit applications are taken only June 1-30, while Energy Crisis Intervention is year-round for households holding a disconnection notice. Hawaiian Electric also offers interest-free 4- or 6-month payment plans and 15-day extensions, a $0.04/kWh Special Medical Needs discount (currently waitlisted), and referrals to Hawaii Energy, AUW 2-1-1 and The Salvation Army; the state Weatherization Assistance Program serves households within 200% of the federal poverty guideline.
Sources: humanservices.hawaii.gov, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, labor.hawaii.gov
I'm bringing or buying rooftop solar in Hawaii. What program will I be on?
New Hawaiian Electric solar customers enroll in Smart Renewable Energy Export (any renewable technology, no size cap, advanced meter required), which credits exports at island-specific rates fixed for 2024-2026 and locked for 7 years, for example 13.5 cents/kWh daytime, 18.9 overnight and 32.9 during the 5-9 p.m. evening peak on Oahu, with unused credits expiring at the annual true-up; adding a new battery through BYOD Plus earns $400 per committed kW up front. Net Energy Metering, Customer Grid-Supply and Smart Export are closed to new customers, and on Kauai KIUC's Schedule Q pays a monthly avoided-cost rate tied to oil prices and may curtail oversized systems.
Sources: hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, hawaiianelectric.com, kiuc.coop
Researched 2026-10-16 from utility, regulator, and agency pages; every statement links to where it was read. Rules change: confirm deposits and program dates with the utility or agency before you rely on them.
Every state ranked by residential rate, updated weekly: Electricity Rates by State →