<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:019eb3f8-b87d-7e35-80dd-6644099f07b9,g:e36e3e41-5bb9-4b5c-b431-36eddfacc456-->
<link:linkbase xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd">
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#all"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#hypercube-dimension"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-default"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-domain"/>
  <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#domain-member"/>
  <link:roleRef roleURI="http://www.hei.com/role/Cover" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="he-20260611.xsd#Cover"/>
  <link:definitionLink xlink:role="http://www.hei.com/role/Cover" xlink:type="extended">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityInformationLineItems"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_019eb3f8-b87d-7824-95b0-aa156b65c3ab" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntitiesTable"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_019eb3f8-b87d-7824-95b0-aa156b65c3ab" xlink:type="arc" order="1" xbrldt:closed="true" xbrldt:contextElement="segment"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_019eb3f8-b87d-7525-b7fe-14de1b8df714" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_LegalEntityAxis"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_019eb3f8-b87d-7824-95b0-aa156b65c3ab" xlink:to="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_019eb3f8-b87d-7525-b7fe-14de1b8df714" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityDomain_019eb3f8-b87d-7525-b7fe-14de1b8df714_default" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:from="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_019eb3f8-b87d-7525-b7fe-14de1b8df714" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityDomain_019eb3f8-b87d-7525-b7fe-14de1b8df714_default" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityDomain_019eb3f8-b87d-757f-baad-773bc9db5397" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityDomain"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:from="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_019eb3f8-b87d-7525-b7fe-14de1b8df714" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityDomain_019eb3f8-b87d-757f-baad-773bc9db5397" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_he_HawaiianElectricCompanyInc.Member_019eb3f8-b87d-7c76-a9f4-f1f92500741d" xlink:href="he-20260611.xsd#he_HawaiianElectricCompanyInc.Member"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityDomain_019eb3f8-b87d-757f-baad-773bc9db5397" xlink:to="loc_he_HawaiianElectricCompanyInc.Member_019eb3f8-b87d-7c76-a9f4-f1f92500741d" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_019eb3f8-b87d-790d-9145-e41ec1469031" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_019eb3f8-b87d-790d-9145-e41ec1469031" xlink:type="arc" order="0"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019eb3f8-b87d-7f2e-a89a-9001e76923d8" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019eb3f8-b87d-7f2e-a89a-9001e76923d8" xlink:type="arc" order="1"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019eb3f8-b87d-73ef-914b-2643421c3284" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019eb3f8-b87d-73ef-914b-2643421c3284" xlink:type="arc" order="2"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019eb3f8-b87d-7666-9c89-b924efe8dcb7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019eb3f8-b87d-7666-9c89-b924efe8dcb7" xlink:type="arc" order="3"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019eb3f8-b87d-7d18-906a-8d37be6dc905" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019eb3f8-b87d-7d18-906a-8d37be6dc905" xlink:type="arc" order="4"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019eb3f8-b87d-7de0-865d-24e87c8e3f3c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019eb3f8-b87d-7de0-865d-24e87c8e3f3c" xlink:type="arc" order="5"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019eb3f8-b87d-7e27-ab22-8331e1a8eca2" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019eb3f8-b87d-7e27-ab22-8331e1a8eca2" xlink:type="arc" order="6"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019eb3f8-b87d-7a66-8cdb-df36ea1c4ccf" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019eb3f8-b87d-7a66-8cdb-df36ea1c4ccf" xlink:type="arc" order="7"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019eb3f8-b87d-72aa-a23d-dfc9c90390b0" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019eb3f8-b87d-72aa-a23d-dfc9c90390b0" xlink:type="arc" order="8"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019eb3f8-b87d-7b1c-9456-5c00b9e4ebb7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019eb3f8-b87d-7b1c-9456-5c00b9e4ebb7" xlink:type="arc" order="9"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019eb3f8-b87d-7c4f-90e2-4aca1994b912" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019eb3f8-b87d-7c4f-90e2-4aca1994b912" xlink:type="arc" order="10"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019eb3f8-b87d-7ee8-826e-95a6c845f1fd" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019eb3f8-b87d-7ee8-826e-95a6c845f1fd" xlink:type="arc" order="11"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019eb3f8-b87d-73ff-b4f9-efea3f03fcfb" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019eb3f8-b87d-73ff-b4f9-efea3f03fcfb" xlink:type="arc" order="12"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019eb3f8-b87d-7ee9-8304-ca09be4500d0" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019eb3f8-b87d-7ee9-8304-ca09be4500d0" xlink:type="arc" order="13"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019eb3f8-b87d-7622-bc2f-5113d636cb64" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019eb3f8-b87d-7622-bc2f-5113d636cb64" xlink:type="arc" order="14"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019eb3f8-b87d-7331-9b5d-64b955b58752" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019eb3f8-b87d-7331-9b5d-64b955b58752" xlink:type="arc" order="15"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019eb3f8-b87d-79db-9cb5-ffbfaadce065" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019eb3f8-b87d-79db-9cb5-ffbfaadce065" xlink:type="arc" order="16"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019eb3f8-b87d-7280-9bb8-cd76e8896651" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019eb3f8-b87d-7280-9bb8-cd76e8896651" xlink:type="arc" order="17"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019eb3f8-b87d-7fce-9a03-ab624433c3a3" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019eb3f8-b87d-7fce-9a03-ab624433c3a3" xlink:type="arc" order="18"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019eb3f8-b87d-7cd5-b699-294cc39d92ed" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019eb3f8-b87d-7cd5-b699-294cc39d92ed" xlink:type="arc" order="19"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019eb3f8-b87d-70f5-8c52-fb15a98174f4" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019eb3f8-b87d-70f5-8c52-fb15a98174f4" xlink:type="arc" order="20"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019eb3f8-b87d-7719-bd46-1d106c43ebc1" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:definitionArc xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019eb3f8-b87d-7b73-ac4e-ff28f0e577ca" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019eb3f8-b87d-7719-bd46-1d106c43ebc1" xlink:type="arc" order="21"/>
  </link:definitionLink>
</link:linkbase>
