Thursday, November 21, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, April 7, 2022
KIUC Rate Hikes Far Lower than HECO's
By News Release @ 3:10 PM :: 3012 Views :: Kauai County, Energy, Hawaii Statistics, Cost of Living

KIUC Leads in Renewables and Reliability; Posts Lowest Rate Increase in the State

News Release from KIUC, April 4, 2022

For the third straight year, Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) leads the state in renewables, reporting 69.5% in its annual filing for 2021.

“We’ve essentially reached the State’s 2040 renewable benchmark a full nineteen years early, and nine years ahead of our Board of Directors’ strategic goal,” stated KIUC’s President and Chief Executive Officer David Bissell, following the utility’s annual Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) filing with the Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission. He added that 69.5% is more than double the State of Hawaiʻi’s current RPS requirement of 30%. 

Kauaʻi’s power generation mix for 2021 included 45% solar, 14% hydro and 11% biomass. Rooftop solar from residential and commercial members accounted for one-third of all solar generation. Bissell attributed the gain in renewables over last year’s 67% to having the first full-year of production from the AES PMRF solar and storage project, along with increased production from hydro projects and customer-owned solar installations. In addition to leading in renewables, KIUC also recorded the best reliability statistics in the state for 2021. 

Kauaʻi’s high renewable percentage helps explain the relatively mild impact soaring oil prices have had on rates for KIUC’s members. While the average residential bill for electricity has risen between 25 to 35% between March 2021 and March 2022 for the rest of the state, KIUC’s member bills have risen only 5% over that same period, during which the price of oil increased nearly 75%. 

“Replacing fossil fuel generation with fixed-price renewables is not only a huge benefit for the environment, it has effectively stabilized electricity rates on Kauaʻi in the face of one of the biggest spikes in oil prices in decades,” said Bissell.

“Our small size has actually turned into a comparative advantage which is very unusual in the utility industry,” said Bissell. “While all Hawaiian Islands are showing significant progress in moving towards renewables, Kauaʻi has moved the fastest.  In today’s high oil price environment this has translated directly to lower rates for our members.”

Bissell also credits local governance and KIUC’s status as a not-for-profit cooperative for much of its success. “At this point, we’ve largely weaned ourselves off of oil,” stated Bissell. “To be in this position just 20 short years after becoming a cooperative is remarkable. It’s a testament to what can happen when a board, staff and members unite behind a worthy goal.”

KIUC’s next renewable effort, the West Kauaʻi Energy Project (WKEP), would bring the island’s renewable generation to nearly 90% by the end of 2025. Designed as a hybrid solar-plus-storage and pumped storage hydro project, WKEP will deliver many benefits to KIUC’s members and the community-at-large, including: additional stabilization of electricity rates, opening up dormant agricultural lands for production, maintaining mandated streamflow for four streams in Kōkeʻe, and increasing public access and recreational opportunities.

Learn more about WKEP and KIUC’s renewable efforts at www.kiuc.coop/renewables.  

TGI: KIUC touts lowest rate increase, at forefront of renewables

 

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