Hawaiian Electric (HE) Risk Factors

The rates the Utilities are allowed to charge for their services and the timeliness of permitted rate increases are among the most important items influencing the Utilities' results of operations, financial condition and liquidity. The PUC has broad discretion over the rates that the Utilities charge their customers. On December 23, 2020, as part of the D&O establishing the PBR Framework, the PUC established a five-year Multi-year Rate Period (MRP) during which there will be no general rate cases. In the fourth year of the MRP, the PUC will comprehensively review the PBR Framework to determine if any modifications or revisions are appropriate. Any adverse decision by the PUC concerning the level or method of determining electric utility rates at the end of the MRP, including the items and amounts that may be included in rate base, the returns on equity or rate base found to be reasonable, the potential consequences of exceeding or not meeting such returns, the denial of exceptional project recovery applications during the MRP, adverse impact of adjustments made to the PBR Framework, decisions on recovery of exogenous items under the PBR Framework, or any prolonged delay in rendering a decision in a rate or other proceeding could have a material adverse effect on Hawaiian Electric's consolidated results of operations, financial condition and liquidity. To improve the timing and certainty of the recovery of their costs, the Utilities have proposed and/or received approval of various cost recovery mechanisms, including an ECRC (includes a PUC-ordered 98%/2% risk-sharing split between customers and the Utilities for fossil fuel price variations from baseline prices, with a current annual aggregate exposure cap of +/- $3.7 million), a PPAC, and pension and OPEB tracking mechanisms, as well as a decoupling mechanism, an exceptional project recovery mechanism (EPRM) (formerly Major Project Interim Recovery (MPIR) adjustment mechanism), and a Renewable Energy Infrastructure Program surcharge. A change in, or the elimination of, any of these cost recovery mechanisms, could have a material adverse effect on the Utilities. See "Regulatory mechanisms" in Electric Utility's Business. Under the PBR Framework, the Utilities' annual revenue adjustment (ARA) includes a customer dividend consisting of a negative adjustment of 0.22% compounded annually and a flow through of the "pre-PBR" savings commitment from the management audit recommendations developed in the 2020 test year rate case. The ability of the Utilities to recover increasing costs and earn a reasonable return on capital investments not covered by the ARA or not achieving the customer dividend and cost savings commitment could have a material adverse effect on the Utilities. Under the PBR Framework, the existing PIMs continue, and the PUC established new PIMs and is working on additional PIMs with stakeholders. The assessment of penalties for not achieving performance goals or the failure to achieve PIMs rewards could affect the Utilities' ability to achieve their allowed ROACEs and have a material adverse effect on the Utilities. Related to the Maui windstorm and wildfires, the Utilities received PUC approval to temporarily suspend Maui Electric's Transmission and Distribution (T&D) System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) and System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI) PIMs from August 8, 2023 through June 30, 2024. If the temporary suspension of Maui Electric's T&D PIMs is not extended beyond June 30, 2024, Maui Electric's maximum annual penalty for T&D SAIDI and SAIFI could have a $0.4 million impact on the Utilities' results of operations. The Utilities also obtained PUC approval to defer certain non-labor expenses incurred from August 8, 2023 through December 31, 2024 that are not already a part of base rates. If the PUC denies recovery of any deferred costs, such costs would be charged to expense in the period that those costs are no longer considered probable of recovery. Additionally, on August 31, 2023, the PUC issued an order temporarily suspending the ESM until further notice. The intent of the order is to address the unintended consequence of customers potentially bearing the costs associated with the Maui windstorm and wildfires through the operation of the ESM without prior PUC review. See "Performance-based regulation framework" and "Regulatory assets for Maui windstorm and wildfires related costs" in Note 4 of the Consolidated Financial Statements. Based on the current operations of the Utilities and regulatory framework, including the impact of the approved PBR Framework, the Utilities continue to follow regulatory accounting under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 980. Continued accounting in this manner requires that certain criteria relating to the recoverability of such costs through rates be met, including achieved financial results that support the recovery of costs. If events or circumstances should change, such that the criteria are no longer satisfied, the Utilities expect that their regulatory assets (amounting to $295 million as of December 31, 2023), net of regulatory liabilities (amounting to $1,151 million as of December 31, 2023), would be charged to the statement of income in the period of discontinuance. See "Performance-based regulation framework" in Note 4 of the Consolidated Financial Statements. The Utilities could be required to refund to their customers, with interest, revenues that have been or may be received under interim rate orders in their rate case proceedings and other proceedings, if and to the extent they exceed the amounts allowed in final orders. Many public utility projects require PUC approval and various permits (e.g., environmental and land use permits) from other governmental agencies. Difficulties in obtaining, or the inability to obtain, the necessary approvals or permits, or any adverse decision or policy made or adopted, or any prolonged delay in rendering a decision, by an agency with respect to such approvals and permits, can result in significantly increased project costs or even cancellation of projects. In the event a project does not proceed, or if the PUC disallows cost recovery for all or part of a project, or if project costs exceed caps imposed by the PUC in its approval of the project, project costs may need to be written off in amounts that could result in significant reductions in Hawaiian Electric's consolidated net income.

National and international concern about climate change and the contribution of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (including carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels) to climate change have led to federal legislative and regulatory proposals and action by the state of Hawaii to reduce GHG emissions. In July 2007, the State Legislature passed Act 234, which requires a statewide reduction of GHG emissions by January 1, 2020 to levels at or below the statewide GHG emission levels in 1990. On June 20, 2014, the Governor signed the final rules required to implement Act 234 and these rules went into effect on June 30, 2014. In general, Act 234 and the GHG rule require affected sources that have the potential to emit GHGs in excess of established thresholds to reduce their GHG emissions by 16% below 2010 emission levels by 2020. In accordance with state requirements, the Utilities submitted an Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) to the State of Hawaii Department of Health on June 30, 2015, with the most recent revision filed on June 9, 2020, to reflect the partnership established between the Utilities and several IPPs. In this plan, the partnership committed to a 16% reduction in GHG emissions in accordance with the rule, which the partnership achieved in 2017 in advance of the 2020 requirement. The State of Hawaii Department of Health issued the air permits incorporating the ERP, including provisions to address the period of unavailability of the PGV facility on Hawaii Island. It is expected that with the advent of additional renewable projects and the application to the PUC with respect to the expansion of the PPA for the PGV project, the goals should be attainable. Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 269-6(b) requires that "in making determinations of the reasonableness of the costs pertaining to electric or gas utility system capital improvements and operations, the PUC shall explicitly consider, quantitatively or qualitatively, the effect of the state's reliance on fossil fuels on price volatility, export of funds for fuel imports, fuel supply reliability risk, and greenhouse gas emissions." Based on HRS § 269-6(b) and recent case law discussing the scope of this section, the Utilities are performing GHG analyses to quantitatively or qualitatively describe the GHG emissions of proposed projects that are submitted to the PUC for approval. In June 2018, House Bill 2182 was signed into law as Act 15 and took effect on July 1, 2018. Among its provisions, Act 15 aligned the state's clean energy and carbon sequestration efforts with climate initiative goals and established a statewide carbon neutral goal by 2045. Under this Act, efforts would be made to "sequester more atmospheric carbon and greenhouse gases than emitted within the state as quickly as practicable, but no later than 2045." The Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, administratively placed under the State Department of Land and Natural Resources, was charged with endeavoring to achieve the target, and giving consideration to the impact of its plans, decisions and strategies on the state's ability to attain the goal. The general functions, duties and powers of the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission are set forth in HRS § 225P-3. To achieve its mandates, the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission may recommend plans, decisions and strategies that could have an impact on various entities including the Utilities. In July 2022, House Bill 1800 was signed into law as Act 238 and took effect on July 1, 2022. The Act established a goal for the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit to be at least 50% below 2005 levels by 2030. The Utilities have taken, and continue to identify opportunities to take, direct action to reduce GHG emissions from their operations, including, but not limited to, supporting demand-side management programs that foster energy efficiency, using renewable resources for energy production and purchasing power from IPPs generated by renewable resources, and burning renewable biodiesel at selected Hawaiian Electric and Maui Electric generating units. In November 2021, the Utilities committed to a 70% reduction in power generation GHG emissions by 2030 compared to a 2005 baseline and achievement of net zero carbon emissions from power generation by 2045. While the reduction is not mandated by law, the Utilities could suffer reputational harm if it fails to achieve its commitments, which may negatively impact its business. Since the time the 2030 goal was established, delays and cancellations in the commercial operation of new renewable third-party generation resources and higher costs as a result of supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures, as well as federal policies related to solar panel imports, have slowed the pace of progress toward reducing GHG emissions. The downgrade of Hawaiian Electric's credit ratings after the Maui windstorm and wildfires is anticipated to be an additional impediment to completion of new renewable energy and storage projects. As a result of these challenges, the Utilities expect the planned 70% reduction in carbon emissions to be achieved later than the original 2030 target date. However, the Utilities will continue to replace significant amounts of fossil fuel generation with renewable energy between now and 2030 and expect to meet or exceed the State of Hawaii's RPS goals. The foregoing legislation or legislation that now is, or may in the future be, proposed, such as potential carbon "cap and trade" legislation that, if applicable, may fundamentally alter costs to produce electricity and accelerate the move to renewable generation, present risks and uncertainties for the Utilities.

A variety of economic and social factors have recently driven inflation to levels above the Federal Reserve Board's long-term target of 2%. Long-term inflationary pressures could result in higher labor, fuel oil, commodities, materials and supplies, outside services and capital costs, among others, that may not fully be offset by an increase in revenues, which would adversely affect the Company's profitability and results of operations. For example, while the Utilities' annual revenue adjustment mechanism provides for an annual inflationary adjustment, recent months' annualized rates of inflation have surpassed the rate of the last inflationary adjustment for the Utilities' target revenues. To the extent the Utilities' increase in actual expenses exceeds the amount provided by the last inflationary adjustment and the Utilities are unable to offset such excess with other efficiencies or cost savings, the Utilities' profitability could be adversely impacted. Similarly, to the extent that higher labor and other costs at ASB, due to inflation or other factors, is not fully offset by an increase in non-interest income or net interest income, which is dependent on interest rates, the shape of the yield curve, earning assets growth and low-cost deposit liabilities, the Bank's profitability and results of operations would be adversely impacted.

On August 8, 2023, a number of brush fires in the West Maui (Lahaina) and Upcountry Maui areas caused widespread property damage, including damage to property of the Utilities, and 101 confirmed fatalities in Lahaina at this time (the Maui windstorm and wildfires). The Maui windstorm and wildfires were fueled by extreme winds and drought-like conditions in those parts of Maui. According to the Maui Police Department's Preliminary After-Action Report, in addition to the loss of life, over 3,450 acres burned and over 3,000 structures were destroyed in those areas. In Lahaina, a fire was reported at about 6:30 a.m. (the "Morning Fire") and appears to have been caused by power lines that fell in high winds and spread into a field near Lahaina Intermediate School. The Maui Fire Department responded promptly to the Morning Fire, and according to the Fire Department's public statement that morning, by 9 a.m. the Morning Fire was "100% contained." The Maui fire chief subsequently reported that the Fire Department had determined that the Morning Fire was "extinguished" and left the scene. Shortly before 3 p.m. that day, while the power remained off, Utility crew members saw a small fire in the same field about 75 yards away from Lahainaluna Road. They immediately called 911 and reported the fire (the "Afternoon Fire"). At the time of the Afternoon Fire, the Company's power lines in the area where that fire ignited were not energized and had not been energized for more than six hours. By the time the Maui Fire Department arrived back on the scene, it was not able to contain the Afternoon Fire and it spread out of control toward Lahaina. No determination as to the cause of the Afternoon Fire has been made. The Company believes that most of the property damage and all of the fatalities are from the Afternoon Fire. Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the Utilities and HEI alleging, among other things, that they were negligent in failing to prevent the wildfires that led to the property destruction and loss of life. If the Utilities and HEI are held responsible for damages caused by the Maui windstorm and wildfires, it could have a material impact on HEI's and Hawaiian Electric's financial condition, liquidity, cash flows and results of operations. The Company has $165 million in insurance coverage for third party claims, but the aggregate losses associated with the Maui windstorm and wildfires could significantly exceed that amount. Also, the Company is incurring legal and consulting fees to manage the lawsuits and financial implications related to the Maui windstorm and wildfires, and those amounts are likely to be material.

The skill and experience of the Company's employees, particularly with respect to the senior management team, are vital to the Company's success. The management teams of HEI's businesses have significant industry experience and would be difficult to replace. Failure to attract, hire, develop, motivate, and retain highly qualified and diverse employee talent, to develop and implement adequate succession plans for the senior management team, or to maintain a successful work culture that fosters collaboration, innovation, and good communication could disrupt the Company's operations and adversely affect its businesses and its future success. In addition, a variety of economic and social factors are exacerbating the current labor supply shortage for qualified individuals, which may make it difficult to staff critical positions and retain key employees, and could result in significantly higher costs to maintain appropriate staffing levels with the right talent. The inability to fill these positions or a delay in staffing these positions could have a significant impact on the Company's initiatives and strategies, which in turn would adversely affect the Company's businesses and their future prospects.

The Utilities rely upon their generating resources and purchased power from third parties to meet their customers' energy requirements. The Utilities update their generation capacity evaluation each year to determine the Utilities' ability to meet reasonably expected demands for service and provide reasonable reserves for emergencies and other unplanned events. These evaluations are impacted by a variety of factors, including customer energy demand, energy conservation and efficiency initiatives, economic conditions, and weather patterns. If the capacity provided by the Utilities' generating resources and third-party purchased power is not adequate relative to customer demand, the Utilities may have to contract to buy more power from third parties, invest in additional generating facilities over the long-term, or extend the operating life of existing utility units. Any failure to meet customer energy requirements could negatively impact the satisfaction of the Utilities' customers, which could have an adverse impact on the Utilities' business, reputation and results of operations. Related to the Maui windstorm and wildfires, the Utilities continue to expect potential generation shortfalls on Maui in 2024. The Energy Reserve Margin, the planning criteria used to determine generation adequacy, is the percentage which the system generation capacity must exceed the system load in each hour. The Utilities' Energy Reserve Margin analysis indicates shortfalls in 2024, but is satisfied from 2025 through 2028 with the addition of planned generation and storage resource additions. The Utilities have plans to address this issue in 2024 through managing maintenance schedules of existing generations, and if necessary, may request for voluntary customer conservation during periods of high power demands. The environment for resource planning has increased in complexity and uncertainty and the Utilities will continue using a portfolio approach to meet its obligation to serve. This includes increased renewable energy, energy storage, and other potential options, both supply side and customer programs. If the Utilities are unable to meet customer energy requirements, it could negatively impact the satisfaction of the Utilities' customers, which could have an adverse impact on the Utilities' business, reputation and results of operations.