Former state Public Utilities Chair Mina Morita says she’s worried that Hawaii’s energy situation could devolve into a Republican-like meltdown in the U.S. House.

In her latest Energy Dynamics blog post Monday, Morita says fringe elements in the debate over the proposed $4.3 billion buyout of Hawaiian Electric Industries by NextEra Energy have created a “fiasco” with their barrage of opinions and distractions like forming electric cooperatives.

The Republican-led chamber has been in disarray since John Boehner’s surprising announcement that he intends to resign as House speaker, and the even more surprising withdrawl of Kevin McCarthy from the race to replace him.

Florida Rep. Daniel Webster’s name has surfaced as conservatives’ pick to be the next speaker, as has Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and Texas Rep. Bill Flores.

Morita took a line from a New York Times column Friday to make her point. “This fiasco might be good entertainment if not for the simple fact that the speaker of the House is third in line for the presidency,” Andrew Rosenthal writes.

Morita says the energy fiasco here “might be good entertainment if not for the simple fact that affordable and reliable electricity is the lifeblood of a robust economy and quality of life.”