Dive Brief:

• A coalition of clean energy groups has petitioned regulators in Hawaii to complete the planning process begun for Hawaiian Electric's future before it considers a proposal by NextEra Energy to acquire the utility.
• In December NextEra Energy announced it would acquire Hawaiian Electric Industries, parent company of the Hawaiian Electric utilities, in a transaction valued at about $4.3 billion. 
• While NextEra is a leader in renewable energy, its utility subsidiary Florida Power & Light is viewed as hostile to rooftop solar and clean energy advocates are wary of the proposed deal. 

Dive Insight:

A coalition of clean energy groups petitioned the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to complete work planning for the state's energy future before considering NextEra's bid to acquire HECO. Regulators have been considering plans to boost smart grid technology in HECO's service area and interconnect more rooftop solar. 

“Our purpose is to make sure the horse is in front of the cart,” said Jeff Mikulina, executive director of Blue Planet Foundation. “As clean energy stakeholders, we share the joint interest in making sure we complete planning for Hawaii's energy future now. We don't want to put the discussions on the back-burner and then have to start over after the merger proceeding is finished.”

The coalition includes Sierra Club, represented by Earthjustice, Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaii PV Coalition, Hawaii Solar Energy Association, and The Alliance for Solar Choice.

HECO is Hawaii's primary electric utility, and as growing numbers of customers moved to install rooftop solar systems the grid could not keep up and installations were paused. The utility has filed a plan with the PUC to address the issue, and so far NextEra has indicated it supports the plan. But clean energy advocates are wary, because NextEra's utility subsidiary FPL is viewed as openly hostile to solar while NextEra Energy Resources is a leader in the renewable energy space.

“Hawaii customers deserve an energy roadmap to ensure we're acting in the best interest of the public, like having access to cheaper and cleaner power, before engaging in a long and complicated merger process,” said Leslie Cole-Brooks, executive director of the Hawaii Solar Association.