Hawaii electricity rates soared 79 percent from 2000 to 2010, nearly twice the national rate, and are the highest in the nation, according to a new report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that electricity costs in Hawaii rose to 25.12 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2010, from 14.03 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2000, while nationally electricity rates rose 41.9 percent to 9.83 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2010, from 6.81 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2000.

The newspaper reports that while the report only covered up to 2010, as of November the average electric rate in Hawaii had risen to 44.43 cents per kilo-watt hour while the national rate declined to 9.67 cents per kilo-watt hour.