Electricity bills will be higher in August
Advertiser Staff
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August residential electricity rates will creep up statewide for a third consecutive month, reflecting a rise in oil prices earlier this year and a recently granted rate increase on O'ahu.
Hawaiian Electric Co. said the typical 600-kilowatt-hour bill for O'ahu residential customers will jump to $140.05 from $122.58 in July. The increase includes the impact of higher fuel oil prices and a 4.7 percent interim rate hike that went into effect this week.
The effective rate for electricity in Honolulu is rising to 21.84 cents per kilowatt hour from the 19 cents charged last month.
Hawaiian Electric noted the increase is still below the $32.5 cents per kilowatt hour paid last September, when the effects of record-high oil prices were being felt.
Elsewhere in the state:
Rates spiked in Hawai'i last year because most of the electricity is produced using petroleum products such as fuel oil or diesel oil, which rose in cost.
There typically is a lag between petroleum price increases because utilities must first use up inventory bought at different prices.
On O'ahu, rates peaked in September, when residential customers' monthly bill averaged $202.13.
