The Public Utilities Commission has determined that an experimental electricity rate program isn't ready for a full roll-out to Hawaiian Electric customers.
Time-of-use rates make electricity affordable during the day when cheap, renewable energy is abundant. On the flip side, rates are more expensive in the evening and overnight when powering the grid is more costly.
Hawaiian Electric ran a year-long pilot program with thousands of customers on Hawaiʻi Island and Oʻahu to see if time-of-use rates could shift energy usage to the daytime while saving customers money.
After reviewing the data, the Public Utilities Commission concluded that the program did not achieve either objective, and that time-of-use should not apply to all Hawaiian Electric customers for the foreseeable future.
They pointed out that the rate structure was particularly challenging for customers who worked full-time during the day and only had time to do energy-intensive tasks like laundry or running the dishwasher in the evening.
Customers who commuted to work in electric vehicles and charged their cars at night also had trouble shifting their energy usage.
Although regulators formally ended the program late last month, they left the door open to a future proceeding on time-of-use. They said certain technologies like smart chargers and water heater timers could make the rate structure easier for customers.
People who are currently enrolled in time-of-use rates will be able to stay on that payment scheme if they choose. Customers can opt out anytime.
