Smart Meter Initiative 

As part of our commitment to modernize the energy system, improve reliability and offer our customers greater control over their energy usage, we will be installing 1.5 million next-generation smart meters across Puerto Rico. The Smart Meter Initiative represents the latest island-wide effort to strength the infrastructure that our customers and communities deserve.

  • Improved Outage Identification 
  • Fewer Estimated Bills 
  • Increased Support for Renewables  
  • Greater Control Over Energy Usage 

 

Improved outage identification

Fewer estimated bills

More efficient service restoration

What You Should Know

  • Smart meters will transform energy service and bring important improvements for all our customers across Puerto Rico. 
  • This initiative will be at no cost to the customer. 
  • LUMA will inform customers of any repairs that need to be made to the customer owned equipment.  
  • For information of what is LUMA’s responsibility and what is the responsibility of the customer, please refer to LUMA’s Terms & Conditions 
  •  This work will occur in three phases 
    • Phase 1: Meter assessments     
    •  Phase 2: Smart meter installation 
    • Phase 3: Future enhancements to Mi LUMA account portal (Coming Soon) 
  • Approximately 30% of existing electric meters in Puerto Rico are more than 20 years old. The current electrical system for reading meters is an antiquated network nearing the end of its operational life.
  • The new single, enhanced network will modernize the system, improving efficiency and reliability for a better overall energy experience.
  • Meter assessments have begun in the San Juan metro area and will expand to include all customers across Puerto Rico.  
  • The island-wide installation phase will occur over the next few years. 
  • Customers can look forward to future enhancements to their Mi LUMA portal, including benefits such as viewing their hourly energy usage, setting up high energy usage alerts, and much more! 
  • To help keep customers, mayors and key partners informed, we will proactively share information before starting work. 

Smart Meter Benefits 

Traditional electric meters, like those currently installed across Puerto Rico, only measure a customer’s energy use. In comparison, the new smart meters we will be installing use the latest technology to automatically communicate energy usage data back to LUMA throughout the day. Importantly, smart meters are safe and secure. LUMA will not share information collected from the meters without customer’s consent. 

Key benefits include:  

Improved Outage Identification: Smart meters will communicate directly with LUMA, enabling us to identify, respond to, and resolve service interruptions more efficiently.  

Fewer Estimated Bills: Smart meters will reduce estimated bills through daily automated meter reads, providing you with monthly bills that reflect your energy usage. 

Increased Support for Renewables: Smart meters will support the growth of renewable energy by enabling smart grid technologies that help facilitate the integration of renewable sources, including solar and energy battery storage systems. 

Greater Control Over Energy Usage: Smart meters provide customers with more detailed information to better manage energy consumption while also enhancing our ability to deliver reliable electric service. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Approximately 30% of current electric meters in Puerto Rico are more than 20 years old and, while they measure customer energy usage, they are not able to provide customers and LUMA with detailed usage information or alerts. 
  • Unlike traditional meters, which require manual readings and provide only cumulative data, smart meters enable two-way communication between the meter and LUMA to provide near real-time information that keeps everyone informed and up to date.  
  • They are a proven and safe technology that securely transmits electricity-related information to LUMA. This allows us to detect outages more efficiently and provide customers with detailed energy usage insights, empowering them to better manage their bills and consumption. Additionally, they offer a variety of features designed to enhance energy efficiency. 
  • We will notify customers in advance of meter assessments and installations via postcards, doorhangers, and phone calls. 
  • Our meter crews will first assess existing electric meters at homes and businesses to help us plan for smart meter installations. 
  • Initial assessments should only take a few minutes, during which crews will take photos or use binoculars to verify meter numbers, survey installation need, and check meter connections. 
  • There will be a temporary service interruption while the new smart meter is installed.  
  • Crews will also install meter communication devices on utility poles across the island. This technology will help the smart meters securely communicate with us for faster outage detection and enhanced outage alerts for customers. 
  • An authorized LUMA technician will come to your residence to complete the smart meter installation. We will notify you before work begins. All technicians will have clear identification and would identify themselves if asked.  
  • You do not need to be home for the installation, but we will need to reschedule if the existing meter is inaccessible or has safety issues.  
  • Most customers can expect to see the same energy use on their monthly bills after their smart meter is installed. 
  • Some customers may see a change in their energy use or monthly bill after installation if they previously received estimated bills, or if their previous meter was damaged, corroded, or inaccurate.   
  • This initiative will cover the cost and installation of the new smart meters. There may be a cost to customers only if repairs are needed to ensure that the meter fitting, which is the box and equipment that secures the meter to the customer’s property, is in good condition.  
  • We will follow up with customers if they need to complete meter fitting repairs before their smart meter installation. 
  • Smart meters and their communications devices have decades of safe and proven use in tens of millions of homes and businesses around the world every day. 
  • These devices use safe and secure communication methods that are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). 
  • The Smart Meter Initiative is part of LUMA’s larger island-wide modernization efforts. All current electric meters, which are owned by PREPA, will need to be removed and replaced with new smart meters. Customers across every part of Puerto Rico will experience improved system outage identification, fewer estimated bills, increased support for renewables, and greater control over energy usage.
  • We will begin smart meter installations in 2025, starting in the San Juan region, following assessments of existing meters and extending island-wide in the coming years. Customers will receive several notices prior to their meter installations as well as when the installation has been completed.  
  • We are fully dedicated to protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring the security of our customers’ data and information. The data collected by the smart meter is encrypted, which means no personally identifiable information, such as your name or address, is stored in the meter or transmitted back to LUMA. All electricity usage data is securely transferred via our protected communications network and is never sold to any third-party entities.  
  • If you maintain medical equipment in the home that would be affected by a brief service outage, please contact us at 1-844-888-LUMA (5862) to schedule an appointment when we are in your area. Our team will work with you to ensure minimal disruption to your essential equipment.  

Please remember, if you have received a notice of upcoming smart meter work and have questions, call us at 1-844-888-LUMA (5862).