Hawaiian Electric wants to charge customers more, and people across the islands are pushing back hard at public hearings.

• The utility is asking regulators to approve a $170 million revenue increase phased in over two years.
• Typical bills would rise roughly $11 to $15 a month depending on the island, with Maui and the Big Island hit hardest.
• Everyone who testified in Kona and Maui opposed the plan, saying they are already squeezed by high fuel costs.
• Residents warn the cost spreads beyond homes, since grocery stores and other businesses pass their higher power bills on to customers.
• Hawaiian Electric says it has not raised rates in five years and needs the money for inflation, higher insurance costs, and shutting down old power plants.

Outlook: More hearings are set for Molokai and Oahu, after which regulators will decide whether the increase goes through.