(BIVN) – Electric bills for Hawaiʻi island residents are estimated to increase by 20% in the coming weeks, due to the ban of Russian oil imports into the united States.

The Hawaiian Electric power company issued this news release on Thursday, alerting residents to the expected increases:

As the U.S. and other nations stand with the people of Ukraine and impose powerful economic sanctions on Russia, including the refusal to buy Russian oil, Hawai‘i will see higher prices at the gas pump and in electric bills.

Hawaiian Electric is forecasting that residential bills for O‘ahu customers will rise about 10% over the next several months. Increases for customers on Hawai‘i Island and in Maui County are estimated at about 20%.

“The increases we’re anticipating are more abrupt than we’ve seen before and, on top of the inflation we’ve all experienced in recent months, I know they will impact the budgets of many households,” said Joe Viola, senior vice president of customer, legal and regulatory affairs. “We hope that by letting customers know what’s coming this helps households and businesses plan budgets and reduce energy use.”

There are options available to help customers manage their energy bills. Links to resources are available at hawaiianelectric.com. Hawai‘i Energy is an expert resource that offers rebates and practical energy-saving tips at hawaiienergy.com.

The energy utility says there are some actions that can be taken now:

• Reduce the use of anything that generates heat – water heater, oven, clothes dryer, stove. Consider a heat pump water heater, now available with a $500 rebate from Hawai‘i Energy – it could cut your bill by up to 40%.
• Turn off air conditioning or set it at 78 degrees. Even turning it off for an hour helps.
• Use smart plugs or unplug electronics when not in use, including computers, printers, cable boxes, game devices, chargers.
• Consider rooftop solar. In addition to tax incentives, Hawaiian Electric is offering cash incentives through its Battery Bonus program to customers who install battery storage.
• Shared solar will soon be available for customers who can’t put panels on their own roof but want to share in the savings and contribute to Hawai‘i’s clean energy transformation
• When gas prices are high, electric vehicles can help reduce your household’s overall energy spending, especially if you take advantage of special rates that provide incentives to charge at certain times of the day with lower rates.
• Power Partnerships are a way residential and commercial customers can get financial rewards for signing up with independent companies called “grid-service aggregators” under contract with the utility. These companies recruit customers with solar, batteries, electric vehicles and other load flexibility devices to combine or “aggregate” their services to support the grid. Customers are rewarded, generally with credits that reduce their monthly bills.

Hawaiian Electric continued:

If you’re having trouble paying your bill, go to (this website) to review payment plan options. For information on available financial assistance, go to (this website). Don’t wait until your balance gets bigger.

“We hope this is the peak and that by summer we could see some relief,” Viola said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty and if the international situation remains in turmoil, the price could surge higher.”
The formula for rates is regulated by the Public Utilities Commission and include fuel costs that fluctuate with world markets. Hawaiian Electric makes no profit on the fuel used to generate electricity. Under a fuel-cost risk-sharing regulatory mechanism, the company’s shareholders are required to pay some of the cost when oil prices rise too high, resulting in a slightly lower rate for customers.

Recognizing the instability of the world energy market, Hawaiian Electric has reduced the use of imported oil by 25% since 2008, in partnership with many others in Hawai‘i, and is working to bring more than 20 new, fixed-price renewable projects online in the next several years.

By the end of the decade, Hawaiian Electric expects the level of renewable resources on its grids to reach at least 70%, better insulating customers from the kind of oil price spikes caused by international events like the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“Just as we did through the pandemic, we will work with you if you’re having trouble paying your bill. Our goal is to keep everyone connected and by working together we know we can get through this latest challenge,” Viola said.

“As the situation unfolds, we know our residents and businesses may feel helpless during times of rising energy costs, especially when they impact a basic life necessity like electricity,” said Brian Kealoha, executive director of Hawaiʻi Energy, in a seperate media release. “Fortunately, there are things we can all do at home that cost little to no money and will help manage and possibly even lower your electricity bill. This includes modifications to behavior and upgrades to efficient equipment, such as lighting, air conditioning or appliances, some which may qualify for a rebate through Hawaiʻi Energy.”

Hawaiʻi Energy also offered eight more tips that can help with energy efficiency:

• Warm up meals with a microwave, which uses up to 2/3 less energy and heat than a conventional oven.
• Replace old lightbulbs with LEDs.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and set your dishwasher to air dry.
• Shorten your showers by just two minutes to save up to 233 kWh and $56/year per person in your household.
• Use a timer to shut off your water heater when you donʻt need it, like overnight.
• Wash full loads of laundry in cold water.
• Donʻt peek in the oven while baking. Every time you open it, the temperature drops 25° F.
• Dust off fridge oils or filters, and check the rubber seals on the door to make sure the cold air is not sneaking out.

“As fuel prices rise and drive up the cost of electricity, the public will definitely feel the impact on their pocketbook. At Hawaiʻi Energy, we are actively monitoring the situation and will continue to educate the community on ways to be more energy efficient in hopes of helping them save money on their electric bill,” added Kealoha.