Residents urge targeted rate-design changes—time-of-use and protections for customers without rooftop solar

Several speakers recommended changes to rate design and programs that could reduce bills for households without rooftop solar. John Borlin, a Hawaiian Electric customer, said he reviewed the company’s filing and argued the proposal should be paired with reopening time-of-use (TOU) options so households without rooftop solar could use batteries and shift load: "With time of use rates, you don't need solar. All you need is a battery, and they can see a 50% drop in their HECO rate overnight."

Long Road Energy urged the PUC to focus on rate design in the second track of the proceeding, including measures such as ratcheted demand charges for large projects to reduce costs passed to ratepayers. Speakers emphasized equity for the "have nots"—customers without rooftop solar—arguing that program changes could mitigate the impact of any necessary revenue adjustments.