Fellows mentioned in this story: Shelee Kimura, Cohort V

From United Nations:

On September 1, the only coal power plant in the state of Hawai‘i will be closing its doors for good. The AES Hawai‘i power plant located on the western side of the island of O‘ahu has been running on fossil fuels since 1992 and generates energy for up to 20 percent of the island. The plant is also one of the island’s largest emitters of the greenhouse gases linked to climate change.

“This is a critical turning point in the long-term transition of Hawai‘i’s energy landscape. Unfortunately, the timing has converged with global events that are currently increasing the cost of electricity,” said Shelee Kimura, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric in press release. “We know that paying more for an essential service like electricity will impact many households and businesses particularly at a time when other costs are rising. We wanted to let customers know the situation in advance so they can plan and we can help them with options. We’re also seeing some encouraging signs that oil prices are declining and we’re hopeful this will help lower rates in the coming months,” Kimura added.

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