8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report: October 12, 2015

Exact Name of Registrant	Commission	I.R.S. Employer
as Specified in Its Charter	File Number	Identification No.
Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.	1-8503	99-0208097
Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.	1-4955	99-0040500

State of Hawaii

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

1001 Bishop Street, Suite 2900, Honolulu, Hawaii  96813 - Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (HEI)

900 Richards Street, Honolulu, Hawaii  96813 - Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (Hawaiian Electric)

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(808) 543-5662 - HEI

(808) 543-7771 - Hawaiian Electric

None

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01. Other Events

The following is an update to the disclosures under “Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Investigative Proceeding” in Note 4 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, which disclosures are incorporated herein by reference to pages 23 and 24 of HEI’s and Hawaiian Electric’s Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2015.

In March 2015, the State of Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issued an Order to investigate DER issues as part of the PUC’s plan to review the technical, economic and policy issues associated with distributed energy resources as noted in the Reliability Standards Working Group order issued in April 2014.

On October 12, 2015, the PUC issued a Decision and Order (D&O) in the proceeding. The D&O approved a customer self-supply tariff and a customer grid supply tariff to govern customer generators connected to the utility’s system. These new options for customer generators connected to the utility’s system, which Hawaiian Electric supported, will replace the existing net energy metering program. As a result of this D&O, Hawaiian Electric issued a news release, “Public Utilities Commission approves new rooftop solar programs.” This news release is furnished as Exhibit 99 and is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 8.01.

The PUC stated the D&O is a first step in the evolution of DER policies to advance DER throughout the State. Phase 2 of the proceeding will begin with a technical conference facilitated by the PUC, which will take place within 30 days.

HEI and Hawaiian Electric intend to continue to use HEI’s website, www.hei.com, as a means of disclosing additional information. Such disclosures will be included on HEI’s website in the Investor Relations section. Accordingly, investors should routinely monitor such portions of HEI’s website, in addition to following HEI’s, Hawaiian Electric’s and American Savings Bank, F.S.B.’s press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. The information on HEI’s website is not incorporated by reference in this document or in HEI’s and Hawaiian Electric’s SEC filings unless, and except to the extent, specifically incorporated by reference. Investors may also wish to refer to the PUC website at dms.puc.hawaii.gov/dms (Docket No. 2014-0192 for DER proceeding) in order to review documents filed with and issued by the PUC. No information on the PUC website is incorporated by reference in this document or in HEI’s and Hawaiian Electric’s other SEC filings.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit 99 News release, dated October 13, 2015, “Public Utilities Commission approves new rooftop solar programs”

1

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrants have duly caused this report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. The signature of the undersigned companies shall be deemed to relate only to matters having reference to such companies and any subsidiaries thereof.

HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, INC.	HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC.
(Registrant)	(Registrant)
/s/ James A. Ajello	/s/ Tayne S. Y. Sekimura
James A. Ajello	Tayne S. Y. Sekimura
Executive Vice President and	Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer	Chief Financial Officer
Date: October 14, 2015	Date: October 14, 2015

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.Description

Exhibit 99 News release, dated October 13, 2015, “Public Utilities Commission approves new rooftop solar programs”

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EX-99

Exhibit 99

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT:	Darren Pai, 808.543.7753	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
	darren.pai@hawaiianelectric.com

Public Utilities Commission approves

new rooftop solar programs

HONOLULU, Oct. 13, 2015 - The Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission has approved two new rooftop PV programs that will allow customers of the Hawaiian Electric Companies to take advantage of new energy storage technology and help ensure safe, reliable service and fair treatment for all customers. The decision is the result of the first phase of the PUC’s effort to develop long-term technical and policy solutions that will support the continued growth of rooftop PV in Hawai‘i.

“We appreciate the PUC’s thorough review of the complex issues that need to be balanced,” said Jim Alberts, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president of customer service. “We see solar power as an important part of the diverse set of renewable energy solutions needed to help lower customer bills and meet Hawai‘i’s goal of a 100 percent renewable portfolio standard by 2045.”

Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric, and Hawai‘i Electric Light Company will offer programs for customers installing both traditional rooftop PV systems and systems with emerging energy-storage technologies. These programs are:

• Grid Supply, which provides rooftop PV customers on Oahu and Hawaii island with credits on their electric bills for excess electricity sent to the grid at a fixed rate of approximately 15 cents per kilowatt-hour. Customers on Maui would be credited at approximately 17 cents per kilowatt-hour, Molokai at approximately 24 cents per kilowatt-hour, and Lanai at approximately 28 cents per kilowatt-hour.

• Self Supply,which is designed for customers with rooftop PV systems and energy storage, such as batteries. It provides for an expedited review and approval of applications in areas with high levels of PV.

In addition, to help cover the fixed costs of providing service to PV customers who remain connected to the grid for continued service even when their PV systems are not producing energy, new residential PV system owners will pay a minimum monthly bill of $25.

The PUC also directed that these new options will replace the NEM program. Customers with a current NEM agreement and those with valid pending applications submitted prior to Oct. 13, 2015 will continue under the NEM program.

Current NEM customers who want to install more PV panels or otherwise modify their current systems will be required to transition to either the new Grid Supply or Self Supply programs.

In addition, the PUC also agreed to allow the Hawaiian Electric Companies to submit a revised time-of-use rate proposal to further expand options for our customers.

Public Utilities Commission approves new rooftop PV programs

Page 2 of 2

Oct.13, 2015

The PUC stated that these programs are intended to serve as transitional programs while it continues to develop long-term solutions. In its order, the PUC said:

“It is abundantly clear that distributed energy resources can provide benefits to Hawai‘i. It is also clear, for both technical and economic reasons, that the policies established more than a decade ago must be adapted to address the reality of distributed energy resources as they exist today - and as they are likely to develop in the near future. The challenge facing the State now is ensuring that DER continues to scale in a way that it benefits all customers as each utility advances towards 100% renewable energy.”

The new Grid Supply and Self Supply programs are expected to be available to customers by Oct. 21.

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