About Us
King Kalakaua Electric Cooperative is a community-driven effort to bring local control and ownership to the electric utility serving the island of Maui. Named in honor of King David Kalākaua—a visionary leader dedicated to Hawaiian innovation and sovereignty—the Cooperative is rooted in the belief that Maui residents should have a greater voice in how their energy is produced, managed, and priced.
Our vision is to transition Maui’s electric utility from a traditional investor-owned utility (IOU) structure to a member-owned, nonprofit cooperative. While Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) currently serves Maui, the goal of King Kalakaua Electric Cooperative is to work toward a peaceful and cooperative transfer of ownership, should HECO become a willing seller. All existing union agreements and staffing would remain intact—this is not a takeover, but a transition of ownership, not operations.
We are currently engaging in informal discussions and exploring financing options through the USDA’s Rural Utility Service loan program, which supports the creation of electric cooperatives across the country. Although there are no formal negotiations at this time, our goal is to be prepared if and when the opportunity arises.
How It Works
The Cooperative’s Board of Directors is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to secure a rural utility loan to purchase Maui’s electric assets. While there are no formal negotiations at this time, we are preparing a responsible path forward that would be ready if and when the opportunity arises.
