Significant group concentrations of credit risk

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

Significant group concentrations of credit risk


Note 16 · Significant group concentrations of credit risk

Most of the Company’s business activity is with customers located in the State of Hawaii.

The Utilities are regulated operating electric public utilities engaged in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity on the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai and Molokai in the State of Hawaii. The Utilities provide the only electric public utility service on the islands they serve. The Utilities extend credit to customers, all of whom reside or conduct business in the State of Hawaii. See Note 4 for a discussion of the Utilities’ major customers. The Utilities target compensation at market rates, and due to the significant increase in competitive market pay for linemen over the past few years, provided an 11.4% market rate adjustment and a 4% annual incentive effective February 1, 2024. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260 represents roughly half of the Utilities’ workforce covered by a collective bargaining agreement. On January 26, 2024, a new three-year contract was ratified and is in effect from November 1, 2024 through October 31, 2027. The contract provides for a 3% general wage increase in each year of the three-year contract, double time for callouts, and a 1% incentive payment upon achievement of specified objectives.

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash. The Company maintains its cash with what management believes to be high-credit quality financial institutions located in the U.S. Accounts are guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to $250,000, under current regulations. At times, deposits held at these banks may exceed the insured limits. As of December 31, 2024, HEI held cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash of $2 million and $10 million, respectively, in FDIC insured accounts. As of December 31, 2024, the Utilities held cash and cash equivalents of $69 million in FDIC insured accounts. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts.

The Company also maintains cash in highly rated taxable and tax-exempt money market mutual funds located in the U.S. The company minimizes risk by investing in money market mutual funds which invest in securities issued by U.S. Government and Government-Sponsored Enterprises and the fund has a AAA rating. Risks associated with cash and cash equivalents are mitigated by the Company’s investment policy, which limits the Company’s investing of excess cash into relatively low risk securities that meet minimum credit quality standards that are defined in the policy. As of December 31, 2024, HEI held cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash of $565 million and $482 million, respectively, in money market mutual funds. As of December 31, 2024, the Utilities held cash and cash equivalents of $116 million in money market mutual funds.

Pacific Current’s investments are in projects located in the State of Hawaii since its strategy is focused on investing in non-regulated renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure in the State of Hawaii.