Organizers and residents call for independent audit of Hawaiian Electric before any rate hike

Several testifiers specifically asked the commission to require an independent, top-to-bottom audit of Hawaiian Electric and its parent company prior to approving any base-rate increase. An online testifier identified as Alani said, "I oppose any HECO rate increase until there's a comprehensive independent audit and a top to bottom review of the company," and urged examination of executive compensation, disaster preparedness and management decisions.

Speakers tied those audit requests to allegations of corporate decisions that shifted risk to ratepayers, with one testifier citing a shareholder settlement and another pointing to the company's sale of assets as reasons to demand full transparency. Testimony asked the PUC to open the books, bring in independent experts and verify what prior resilience spending delivered before increasing rates.