Feb. 11—The roughly 16, 000 customers participating in the pilot program, which started Feb. 1, were randomly selected.

Hawaiian Electric says its pilot “shift and save ” program is now up and running for about 16, 000 customers on Oahu and Hawaii island.

The goal of the one-year program is to give eligible customers the opportunity to test “time-of-use ” rates, which provide lower rates for those who shift their energy use from high-demand evenings and nights to the day.

“The more you shift your energy usage away from those hours, the more money you could save, ” according to Hawaiian Electric.

“The purpose of Shift and Save is to encourage customers to shift electricity use from the evening and overnight period when energy is generated by expensive fossil fuels to the daytime period when solar energy is abundant and less expensive, ” Hawaiian Electric officials said in a news release. “Time-of-use rates have the potential to reduce bills and cut greenhouse gas emissions from power generation.”

The roughly 16, 000 customers participating in the pilot program, which started Feb. 1, were randomly selected, and should have received a confirmation notice via email or postal mail within a week of enrollment. If no notice was received, then the customer is not enrolled.

To be eligible, customers must have had advanced meters installed by December 2022.

Eligible customers who were not randomly selected, but who want to enroll in “shift and save ” can voluntarily do so. That includes eligible customers on Maui, Lanai and Molokai, where the launch of the program was temporarily suspended in the wake of the August wildfires.

Customers randomly selected for the program also may opt out.

Hawaiian Electric said for the first six months of the program, participating customers will be protected from an unanticipated increase with a bill protection credit.

Residential bills will be capped at no more than a $10 increase compared to what would have been charged before enrollment for the same month. Commercial bills will be capped at no more than 4 % of the previously existing rate for the same month.

This is to give customers time to adjust their energy-­use habits, Hawaiian Electric officials said, adding that the company does not make or lose money based on bill increases or decreases under the program.

The pilot program was developed by Hawaiian Electric, the state Consumer Advocate and solar industry representatives, and authorized by the state Public Utilities Commission.

The PUC will use data and feedback from the program to determine how and whether it will ultimately apply to all customers in the future.

Conserving energy