Hawai'i's energy consumption continued to fall in recent months as consumers and businesses reduced usage amid rising prices.

Oil imports fell as did electricity usage, according to figures from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

It reported that foreign imports of crude oil into Hawai'i fell 10.4 percent in July to 3.57 million barrels compared to a year earlier. It was down 14.7 percent through the first seven months of the year.

The amount of electricity that was sold to residential and commercial customers also declined. The DBEDT report said residential kilowatt-hour sales were off 4.6 percent in June, even as the number of residential accounts rose 1 percent.

Commercial electricity sales declined 1.4 percent.

Statewide, Hawai'i has the highest electricity costs in the nation, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. It relies on crude oil for power generation more than any other state, and until recent weeks, costs have gone up as oil prices have risen.

Electricity consumption during the first half of this year was off 0.3 percent compared to the first half of last year.

The figures supplied by the state also show gasoline and diesel fuel consumption fell during July.

Gasoline prices, both nationally and locally, have been declining gradually over the past few months. Since a recent peak of about $4.50 a gallon in July, the statewide average gasoline price has fallen to $4.15 a gallon.