Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO) Rate Selection Guide
Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO) is the investor-owned utility serving roughly 90,000 electric customers across Hawaii Island, operating as a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Company. Regulated by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, HELCO has deployed advanced metering infrastructure island-wide and offers 15-minute interval data, Green Button Download My Data and Connect My Data, and the My Energy Use portal for commercial and industrial energy data access.
Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule G | Small commercial (non-demand) | $35-$61/mo customer + 17.2132 cents/kWh (non-fuel) | Small businesses under 5,000 kWh/month and 25 kW |
| Schedule J | Commercial demand | $49-$75/mo customer + $14.00/kW demand + 9.7059 cents/kWh (non-fuel) | Mid-size commercial loads from 25 kW up to 200 kW |
| Schedule P | Large power / industrial | $450/mo customer + $27.00/kW demand + 6.2376 cents/kWh (non-fuel) | Industrial and large commercial loads 200 kW and above |
| Schedule TOU-P | Large power time-of-use | Time-differentiated demand and energy (see tariff) | Large customers that can shift load off the on-peak window |
Market Overview
HELCO is the sole, PUC-regulated electric utility on Hawaii Island, providing bundled generation, transmission, and distribution service. There is no retail electricity choice or community choice aggregation on the island.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO) Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
HELCO rates are set by the Hawaii PUC and consist of base tariff charges (customer, demand, and non-fuel energy) plus several adjustment clauses (Energy Cost Recovery Clause, Purchased Power Adjustment Clause, Public Benefits Fund Surcharge, Green Infrastructure Fee, and others) that vary monthly. The verified base charges below are from HELCO's Hawaii Island tariff (Decision & Order No. 37237, effective November 1, 2020); fuel and adjustment clauses are additive and push effective C&I energy prices among the highest in the nation.
Effective: November 1, 2020 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule G - General Service Non-Demand | commercial | Small general light/power loads up to 5,000 kWh/month and up to 25 kW on a single meter. | Customer charge $35.00/mo single-phase, $61.00/mo three-phase; non-fuel energy 17.2132 cents/kWh; minimum charge $50/$73. Adjustment clauses additive. | — |
| Schedule J - General Service Demand | commercial | General service over 5,000 kWh/month or over 25 kW demand, but under 200 kW, single meter. | Customer charge $49.00/mo single-phase, $75.00/mo three-phase; demand $14.00/kW; non-fuel energy 9.7059 cents/kWh; minimum billing demand 25 kW. Adjustment clauses additive. | — |
| Schedule P - Large Power Service | industrial | Large light/power loads of 200 kW or more, single voltage and delivery point. | Customer charge $450.00/mo; demand $27.00/kW; non-fuel energy 6.2376 cents/kWh; minimum billing demand 200 kW; power-factor and supply-voltage adjustments apply. Adjustment clauses additive. | — |
| Schedule TOU-P - Large Power Time-of-Use | industrial | Large power customers (200 kW+) electing time-of-use pricing. | Time-differentiated demand and energy charges across on-peak, mid-peak, and off-peak periods; specific cents/kWh and $/kW values set in the TOU-P tariff sheet. Structure verified; consult tariff for current values. | — |
| Schedule TOU-J - Commercial Time-of-Use | commercial | Commercial demand customers under time-of-use (closed to new customers). | Time-of-use energy and demand structure; closed to new enrollment. Consult tariff sheet for current values. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial facility (25-200 kW)
Facilities such as retail centers, offices, and small manufacturers in the 25-200 kW range typically fall on Schedule J.
Schedule J's $14.00/kW demand charge and 11-month ratchet reward peak control; interval data from My Energy Use is essential for managing it.
- Export 15-minute Green Button data to find peak drivers
- Stagger HVAC and equipment startups to cut coincident peaks
- Maintain power factor near 85% if above 200 kW
Large industrial / 200 kW+ load
Hotels, hospitals, large manufacturers, and other 200 kW+ loads take Large Power Service.
The $27.00/kW demand charge dominates the bill; TOU-P can lower energy cost for customers able to shift load, and supply-voltage credits help primary-served sites.
- Evaluate TOU-P versus Schedule P with your interval data
- Pursue supply-voltage delivery credits where feasible
- Add solar + storage to offset the highest-in-nation energy prices
Multi-site C&I energy team needing automated data
Energy managers tracking multiple Hawaii Island sites need automated, normalized interval and billing data.
Green Button Connect My Data provides OAuth 2.0 automated feeds; Nectar's API normalizes billing and interval data across sites — see docs.nectarclimate.com.
- Register for Green Button CMD and have each site authorize access
- Use Nectar's API for billing and interval data normalization (docs.nectarclimate.com)
- Engage a Key Account Manager for bulk historical exports
Historical Rate Trends
The verified base tariff charges (customer, demand, non-fuel energy) were set by Hawaii PUC Decision & Order No. 37237 (Docket 2018-0368) and took effect November 1, 2020. Month-to-month customer bills move primarily through the adjustment clauses (ECRC, PPAC, RBA, PBF, GIF) rather than the base rates, so effective prices fluctuate with fuel costs.
November 1, 2020
Base tariff charges (Schedules G, J, P and others) set effective November 1, 2020 under PUC Decision & Order No. 37237, Docket 2018-0368.
n/aOverall trend: Effective C&I prices remain the highest in the nation and track imported fuel costs through monthly adjustment clauses.
Next expected change: Subject to future Hawaii PUC rate cases and ongoing adjustment-clause filings; no fixed schedule.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Given Hawaii's extreme energy prices and HELCO's heavy demand charges, the highest-value moves for C&I customers are reducing and flattening peak demand, shifting load off the 5 PM-9 PM on-peak window, and offsetting consumption with behind-the-meter solar plus storage.
Peak demand management
For: Schedule J and Schedule P customers
Use 15-minute interval data from My Energy Use to identify and shave coincident peaks, lowering the ratcheted billing-demand charge on Schedules J and P.
Load shifting off on-peak
For: Customers with shiftable loads, esp. large power
Move flexible loads out of the 5 PM-9 PM on-peak period; large power customers can evaluate Schedule TOU-P to capture lower off-peak pricing.
Behind-the-meter solar + storage
For: Sites with roof or land for PV
Offset high-cost grid energy with rooftop/onsite solar and batteries; pair with Power Partnership or BYOD+ for additional grid-service credits.
Power-factor correction
For: Large motor/industrial loads
Maintain power factor near or above 85% to avoid the power-factor adjustment on Schedule J (200 kW+) and Schedule P.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO) interval data →
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a commercial customer on Hawaii Island get 15-minute interval data?▾
Log in to the Online Customer Service Center at eservice.hawaiianelectric.com and open the My Energy Use portal. From there you can view 15-minute interval usage and export it as Green Button XML or CSV. For automated feeds, use Green Button Connect My Data with an authorized third party.
Which rate schedule applies to my business?▾
Schedule G covers small general service (under 5,000 kWh/month and 25 kW). Schedule J is general service demand (over 5,000 kWh/month or 25 kW, up to 200 kW). Schedule P is large power service for loads of 200 kW or more. Time-of-use Schedule TOU-P is available for large power customers.
Does HELCO support EDI for billing data exchange?▾
No. HELCO does not publish a formal EDI trading-partner program. The recommended programmatic alternative is Green Button Connect My Data (OAuth 2.0 / ESPI), or coordinating a custom export with a Key Account Manager.
Why are demand charges so important for HELCO C&I customers?▾
Because Hawaii has the highest electricity prices in the U.S., the per-kW demand charges on Schedules J ($14.00/kW) and P ($27.00/kW) plus billing-demand ratchets can dominate a bill. Managing peak demand and shifting load away from the 5 PM-9 PM on-peak window materially lowers costs.
Can a third-party energy consultant access our data automatically?▾
Yes, two ways: the consultant can register for Green Button Connect My Data and have you authorize scoped access via OAuth 2.0, or you can use Nectar, which provides API access to your HELCO billing and interval data — see docs.nectarclimate.com.
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