Question: Regarding Hawaiian Electric’s time-of-use rate plan called Shift and Save: I thought we could opt out at any time, but now I am hearing it has to be before the August bill. There seems to be conflicting information, or perhaps I am confused. I would like to see how my bill goes, but don’t want to lose the option to get out. Please clarify.
Answer: You can disenroll at any time, but if you have been in the pilot program since it began Feb. 1, the six months’ credit that protected your bill from surging even if you used electricity at peak-rate times will expire July 31. Such customers must opt out before receiving their August bill to avoid a billing cycle without the credit, said Darren Pai, a spokesperson for Hawaiian Electric. No action is needed now if you wish to remain in the yearlong pilot program, or if you want to stay in at least one more billing cycle to see how your household fares without the credit.
HECO says Shift and Save customers can access their “My Energy Use” portal online via hawaiianelectric.com/myaccount and use the rate comparison tool to compare their bills to what they would have been without the time-of-use rates.
If you decide to disenroll from Shift and Save, go to hawaiianelectric.com/shiftandsave, click on “Decline Participation” and fill out and submit the form. Conversely, eligible customers on Oahu, Maui, Hawaii island, Lanai and Molokai not in the pilot program can still opt in, by going to the same website, clicking on “Sign Me Up!” and following the instructions. In either case, “Your request will be completed at the start of your next billing cycle as long as this request is received 3-5 business days prior to the start of your next billing cycle. If not, the request will be applied in time for the following billing cycle,” the website says.
Shift and Save, which included about 16,000 residential and commercial customers on Oahu and Hawaii island when it launched, charges time-of-use rates that are lower in the daytime when cheaper solar energy is plentiful. The highest rates are from 5 to 9 p.m., when demand for electricity peaks. Having the credit in place for six months upon enrollment gives customers time to adjust their energy-use habits. The credit caps residential bills at no more than $10 above what the non-TOU rate would have charged for the same month, and commercial bills at no more than 4% above what would have been charged. While the credit will expire July 31 for customers in the program since Feb. 1, it will persist for customers who enrolled in later months, or who sign up now, according to HECO.
Q: I ordered new kitchen appliances on sale but was shocked how much they would charge to haul away the old ones so I didn’t purchase that service. Can I put the old ones out for bulky pickup?
A: Yes, but you’ll need to make an appointment for appliance collection (not bulky collection) and you can place only two appliances curbside per appointment, according to Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services. This is for large metal appliances, such as dishwashers, stoves (range/oven) and refrigerators. There is no additional fee for this service. To make an appointment, go to honolulu.gov/opala and click on “Bulky Item Pickup,” which will take you to a page where you can make separate appointments for appliance collection, such as for the items you need picked up, and bulky collection, for other large household items such as furniture that is too old or damaged to donate for reuse.
Q: I lost my wallet, which contained my driver’s license. Is it still possible to order a replacement online or was that only during the pandemic?
A: You can order a duplicate online at www1.honolulu.gov/duplicates/. It’s also possible to replace your lost license in person or by mail. See Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services website (honolulu.gov/csd) for details.
Mahalo
Many thanks to the fellow who ran after me when I dropped my coin purse at Windward Mall. It wasn’t just change in there — that’s where I keep my EBT card and it would have been devastating to lose that. Thank goodness for honest people. — Grateful kupuna
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Editor’s note:
Electronic benefits transfer cards are government-funded debit cards that needy people use to buy food. We checked the state Department of Human Services website to find out what a person should do if they lose their EBT card and there’s no good Samaritan around. It says, “If your Kokua EBT Card is lost, stolen or damaged and you need a replacement card, call customer service toll-free at 1-888-328-4292. Please remember when requesting a replacement card, your current card will be deactivated, and you will receive the replacement by mail in approximately 5-7 days. If you do not receive your card by that time you may go to your designated processing center and ask for an over-the-counter replacement.”
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
