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The Jan. 5 letter, “Voters accountable for Lahaina disaster,” which blames voters and politicians for the Lahaina disaster, might be better headlined, “Ratepayers accountable for Lahaina disaster.”
As a regulated utility, HECO earns a rate of return on its assets. Undergrounding utilities at a phenomenal cost or even upgrading utility poles and increased maintenance come at the direct cost of higher utility bills. The state Public Utilities Commission balances the burden of utility rate increases on consumers with the benefits derived from HECO’s use of its assets.
Any increase in electricity rates, let alone an increase of the magnitude needed to fully anticipate the Lahaina disaster, results in immediate economic suffering and consumer uproar. Without more nuanced reasoning, I think it unreasonable to use 20/20 hindsight in judging the prudence of the PUC or HECO.
John Keiser
Makiki
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