Simple. Damn near all electricity on the islands is from coal powered plants. That coal has to be shipped to the islands. Fuel costs are high, the cost of everything (including that coal) has gone up as well.

Hawaii has active volcanoes and should look at geothermal power generators like Iceland has. The big downside is all the materials to build said geothermal power plant need to be shipped there. Keep the coal plants as backup.

Richie Richers living in Hawaii can afford it. They could also afford solar power or a wind turbine, and get off the grid, but they won't!

We're raising your rates. Pray we don't raise them further.