Fuel prices send electric bills surging across the state

Rising fuel prices helped push electricity bills for the typical Oahu residential customer to $181.44 this month, the highest level since 2008 when record oil prices were hammering the economy.

Hawaiian Electric Co. said yesterday a typical 600-kilowatt-hour bill for Oahu residential customers rose by $5.98 from $175.46 in March. The last time Oahu electric bills were this high was in November 2008, when a 600-kilowatt bill was $182.01.