HELCO issued a Request For Information re: geothermal energy this week.

Although in my opinion Hawaiians are overwhelmingly in favor of geothermal, I am finding, as I ask around, that people are conflicted about HELCO’s intentions.

Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO), the parent company that owns Hawaii Electric Light Company (the Big Island’s HELCO) and the Maui Electric Company (MECO), readily acknowledges that it has a duty to protect the interest of its stockholders.

And when the interests of the stockholders and the interests of the people are in conflict, HECO’s loyalty lies with the stockholders.

That is at the heart of the problems they are having on Moloka‘i and Lana‘i. And it’s at the heart of the problems they deal with when facing the unprecedented future of rising oil prices.

Passing the cost and risk of Peak Oil, as a result of decoupling, straight through to the rate payers – the public – is not comforting to the people.

We need a new model here, one that lines up the needs of the people with the needs of the utility. We need a new model that transforms the utility into an economic driver, rather than an economic impediment. A new model that focuses on a better life for future generations.

People are very uncomfortable with the prospect of handing over, to future generations, a diminished life compared to what they had. We must do better.

There are a thousand reasons why no can. We need to find the one reason why CAN!