HONOLULU -- Hawaiian Electric Co. officials said the company will no longer be handling rebates to customers who buy and install solar and other energy efficient appliances starting next month.

Instead, a San Diego-based company Science Applications International Corp. will take care of the incentive program starting on July 1.

The change is a decision by the Public Utilities Commission to use a third-party administrator to run the energy efficiency programs.

"They really shouldn't notice much difference at all. It's just when they send in their applications, it's going to go to a new address, but SAIC has made a commitment to follow through with these programs," HECO spokesman Darren Pai said.

HECO has given $97 million in rebates have been awarded to customers over the last 13 years, Pai said.

The program has reduced the demand for electricity by 169 megawatts and saved more than 1.5 million barrels of oil a year, HECO said.

The new rebates can be sent to:

SAIC - Residential Rebates
PO Box 3920
Honolulu, HI 96805

SAIC - Business Rebates
PO Box 2040
Honolulu, HI 96805

Download HECO rebate forms here.