[KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP LETTERHEAD APPEARS HERE]

                                                                   Exhibit 23(a)

The Board of Directors:
Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.:

We consent to incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form
S-3 of Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. of our report dated January 25, 1996,
relating to the consolidated balance sheets of Hawaiian Electric Industries,
Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1995 and 1994, and the related
consolidated statements of income, retained earnings and cash flows for each of
the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 1995, which report is
incorporated by reference in the December 31, 1995 annual report on Form 10-K/A
of Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.


We also consent to incorporation by reference of our report dated January 25,
1996 relating to the financial statement schedules of Hawaiian Electric
Industries, Inc. in the aforementioned December 31, 1995 annual report on Form
10-K/A, which report appears in said Form 10-K/A.

                                                       /s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

Honolulu, Hawaii
January 23, 1997