Exhibit 24



POWER OF ATTORNEY



        Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each of

CHESTER A. RICHARDSON, KURT K. MURAO and JULIE R. SMOLINSKI, or any of them signing

singly, and with full power of substitution, the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:



 (1)  prepare, execute in the undersigned's name and on the undersigned's behalf, and

submit to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a Form ID, including

amendments thereto, and any other documents necessary or appropriate to obtain codes and

passwords enabling the undersigned to make electronic filings with the SEC of reports required

by Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation of the SEC;



 (2) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity as an

officer and/or director of HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, INC. or any of its subsidiaries (the

"Company"), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of

1934 and the rules thereunder, and any other forms or reports the undersigned may be required

to file in connection with the undersigned's ownership, acquisition, or disposition of securities of

the Company;



 (3) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which may

be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5, or other form or

report, complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and timely file such form

with the SEC and any stock exchange or similar authority; and



 (4) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing

which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or

legally required by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such

attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such

form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such

attorney-in-fact's discretion.



        The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to

do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be

done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and

purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of

substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such

attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this

Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges

that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned,

are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to

comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.



        This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no

longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and

transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a

signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.



       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be

executed as of this 11th day of May, 2011.







/s/ James A. Ajello

JAMES A. AJELLO