Our electricity is $.35/kwh, which I believe is the highest in the nation. Fortunately, we installed solar (our state has the highest rooftop solar % in the nation). Before installing it, our very modest 1000 square foot home was about $100/month or less for electricity. Now we pay $10 or so every month service fee, so that we can stay connected to the grid. We tend to generate more with our 9 panels than we consume so we net out at close to 0 energy consumed over the year. We have no heat nor A/C nor gas and only one fridge. When the kids are home, the electric bill doubles (lots of computer & electronics use) and we consume more electricity than we produce and use up some of the surplus we have with the electric company’s net metering system. Our electric company will not buy back electricity from customers, but will give you credit for when you need to consume more than you produce at a later point in the year.
Anyway, it is crazy when prices get so high that it is difficult for folks to afford housing. This is a chronic problem in our state and only getting worse as people buy second homes or decide to retire here or flee to a slower pace of life. The housing prices greatly outpace incomes here and many other places. When you’re a student or a young person, you can have room mates but when you are raising a family it gets more problematic. High housing prices in HI makes it difficult for our young people to return and raise their families too.