Rates & Regulations
Decoupling
Decoupling, a method of setting electric rates, is one of many major steps supporting Hawaii's clean energy future and is designed to support efforts to reduce Hawaii's dependence on imported oil.
In the past, the more electricity used by utility customers, the more money the utility collects. That formula isn't consistent with our state's current energy policies. To reach our state's clean energy goals, we must find ways to use less oil, not more.
Decoupling breaks the historic link between electricity usage and utility revenues, which removes the incentive for utilities to increase the use of electricity. This allows utilities to better support increased energy efficiency, conservation and increased use of renewable energy resources.
Your individual customer bill is still based on the amount of electricity you use, so you will still save money by conserving electricity. For information on energy efficiency rebates, go to hawaiienergy.com.
More than 50% of your electric bill pays for the rising cost of fossil fuels. As we transition to clean energy, bills will become more stable and lower than if our state continues to rely on imported oil.
Decoupling does not guarantee the utility a profit. Many factors can cause the utility to earn less than the amount allowed by the PUC.
Decoupling has been established and implemented in other parts of the country for many years. In fact, nationwide, decoupling has been approved by utility commissions and implemented by utilities in nearly half of all states.
For More Information
You can also call the following contacts at your utility or call the State of Hawaii Division of Consumer Advocacy:
- Oahu: Shannon Putnam, Corporate Communications Manager, (808) 543-5670
- Maui County: Shayna Decker, Corporate Communications Manager, (808) 871-2339
- Hawaii Island: Kristen Okinaka, Senior Communications Consultant, (808) 969-0258
- Division of Consumer Advocacy: Jayson Horiuchi, Education Specialist, (808) 586-2769
Further Reading
If you are interested in learning even more about Decoupling, you can download our brochure below:
