Don Brunell

Normally, you wouldn’t think the cost of electricity would clobber ranchers, but in Hawaii, high power rates are the central competitiveness issue. In fact, the owners of the mammoth Parker Ranch on Hawaii’s big island have calculated their “per cow” electricity costs.

Much of the famed ranch’s 130,000 acres is rich grazing land on a high plateau between Hawaii’s twin 13,000 ft. volcanos. Parker Ranch is one of the nation’s largest beef producers, with much of its product sent to the mainland. The ranch has an extensive water system with large reservoirs, water tanks and troughs, but much of t...