Key takeaway: Hawaiʻi homes paid an average of 47.18¢ per kilowatt-hour in August 2026, about 2.6 times the U.S. average of 18.16¢ (EIA). By island, a 500 kWh month runs about $242 on Maui and $246 on Oʻahu, but about $326 on Lānaʻi (our calculation from Hawaiian Electric’s October 2026 rates). Numbers checked October 30, 2026.
Rates and a typical bill, October 2026
| Island | Utility | Rate for the first block of use | Bill at 500 kWh (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kauaʻi | KIUC (co-op) | about 39.8¢ average (July 2026) | — |
| Maui | Hawaiian Electric | 44.59¢ (first 350 kWh) | about $242 |
| Oʻahu | Hawaiian Electric | 45.81¢ (first 350 kWh) | about $246 |
| Hawaiʻi Island | Hawaiian Electric | 46.84¢ (first 300 kWh) | about $256 |
| Molokaʻi | Hawaiian Electric | 58.42¢ (first 250 kWh) | about $315 |
| Lānaʻi | Hawaiian Electric | 60.71¢ (first 250 kWh) | about $326 |
Hawaiian Electric rates include fuel and other adjustments, effective Oct 1, 2026, from its Effective Rate Summary. Bills are our calculation: customer charge plus tiered energy charges, before taxes. Kauaʻi: Star-Advertiser, citing KIUC.
Rates on every island change monthly, because fuel costs are passed straight through. Molokaʻi swings the most: the same 500 kWh came to about $243 in August and $315 in October.
Why bills jumped in 2026
Most of Hawaiʻi’s power still comes from burning oil, and fuel is about half the bill. When oil prices spiked in 2026, so did bills. Before the spike, Hawaiian Electric put a 500 kWh bill at $196.43 on Oʻahu in March 2026 (Hawaii Tribune-Herald). Civil Beat reported Oʻahu bills up about 30% from June 2025 to June 2026, and Lānaʻi up about 55% (Civil Beat).
| Island | Average residential price, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Oʻahu | 40.54¢ |
| Maui | 41.58¢ |
| Hawaiʻi Island | 45.81¢ |
| Molokaʻi | 48.48¢ |
| Lānaʻi | 50.02¢ |
Full-year 2025 averages from Hawaiian Electric. If you see ’40 cents’ quoted online, it’s a 2025 number.
What’s coming
- Hawaiian Electric has asked to raise base rates by $170 million starting in 2027, which it estimates would add about $8 a month to a typical Oʻahu bill, $11 on Maui and $12 on Hawaiʻi Island. It hasn’t been approved (Hawaiian Electric release, via Hawaii Free Press).
- Hawaiian Electric’s share of the Maui wildfire settlement is not being charged to customers, the company has said (West Hawaii Today).
Rooftop solar and batteries
About half of Oʻahu single-family homes have solar (Star-Advertiser). The 30% federal tax credit ended for systems bought after 2025. EnergySage estimates a typical Hawaiʻi system at about $31,000, paying for itself in about 10 years (EnergySage). New customers sell excess power at set credits, highest in the evening peak (Hawaiian Electric), and the BYOD Plus program pays $400 per kilowatt of battery up front (Hawaiian Electric).
Sources
- Hawaiian Electric: Effective Rate Summary, October 2026
- Hawaiian Electric: average price of electricity
- EIA: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A
- Star-Advertiser: column citing KIUC rates
- KIUC: rates
- The Garden Island: KIUC rate increase
- Hawaii Tribune-Herald: bills to soar up to 30%
- Civil Beat: high oil prices hammer HECO customers
- Hawaii Free Press: Hawaiian Electric rate case
- West Hawaii Today: Maui settlement
- Star-Advertiser: rooftop solar installs, 2026
- EnergySage: solar cost in Hawaiʻi
- Hawaiian Electric: Smart Renewable Energy Export
- Hawaiian Electric: BYOD Plus