HI SB1648

Requires electric utilities to compensate customers for actual damages from power interruptions affecting more than 1,000 customers for 4 or more hours, excluding consequential damages and litigation costs.

Allows utilities to seek a waiver from the Public Utilities Commission based on unpreventable circumstances: weather events, customer tampering, civil unrest, animal damage, or third-party actions.

Utilities must submit waiver applications within 30 days of outage; the Commission must decide within 90 days; utilities cannot recover compensation costs from ratepayers.

Establishes claim procedures: customers have 150 days to submit claims; utilities must decide within 30 days of claim submission or Commission decision (whichever is later); claimants may appeal denials to the Commission within 30 days.

Requires utilities to maintain and publicly report detailed service records for power outages affecting 10+ customers, including cause, duration, customers affected, restoration measures, and compensation paid.