Smart Meter Initiative

As part of our commitment to modernize the energy system, improve reliability and provide our customers with more ways to save energy and money, we are launching a FEMA-funded initiative to install 1.5 million next-generation smart meters across Puerto Rico. This Smart Meter Initiative is the latest island-wide effort to build the better energy system our customers deserve.

More Customer Control

Better Outage Detection

Faster
Response

Support for Renewables

What You Should Know

Smart meters will transform energy service and bring important improvements for all our customers across Puerto Rico.
This is a FEMA-funded initiative that will provide customers with more detailed information about monthly energy usage, helping customers save money and energy while also enabling faster restoration of service.
This work will occur in three phases:
Phase 1: Meter and grid assessments
Phase 2: Smart meter installations
Phase 3: Online customer account upgrades
Approximately 30% of existing electric meters in Puerto Rico are more than 20 years old.
Meter assessments are planned to begin 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 expect enhanced outage and energy consumption insights in the future that utilize information from the newly installed smart meters – like high energy usage alerts and outage and restoration event notifications.
To help keep customers, mayors and key partners informed, we will proactively share information before starting work.

Smart Meter Benefits

Traditional electric meters, like the ones installed across Puerto Rico, only measure a customer’s energy use. Smart meters are state of the art electric meters that use proven and safe technology to communicate with LUMA, allowing us to provide enhanced customer features. Smart meters will benefit all customers and enable:

Better Outage Detection: Smart meters will enable us to monitor the grid in real-time, helping to identify and address potential issues, such as outages and voltage changes, faster than ever before.

Faster Response: Smart meters communicate directly with LUMA and help us identify, respond, and restore service more quickly following interruptions.

More Customer Control: With smart meters, customers will be able to access more detailed information to better monitor their monthly energy usage, helping them to save energy and money.

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, like solar and energy battery storage systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a smart meter different from a traditional meter?

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.
Next-generation smart meters use proven and safe technology securely transmit electric information to LUMA, allowing us to restore service more quickly and provide customers with better energy use information, giving them more control over their bill and usage.

What can customers expect during meter assessments and installations?

We will notify customers in advance of meter assessments and installations via postcards and automated phone calls.
Our meter crews will first assess existing electric meters at homes and businesses to help us plan for smart meter upgrades.
Initial assessments should only take a few minutes, during which crews will take photos or use binoculars to verify meter numbers, survey installation needs and check meter connections.
For residential customers, a smart meter installation should take less than 10 minutes and may take up to an hour for industrial customers.
To install smart meters safely and effectively, meter crews will need to momentarily interrupt electric service to complete the work.
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.

Do customers need to be present for Smart Meter Initiative work?

No, customers do not need to be present for this work. We will follow up if we are unable to access a meter.
Our LUMA employees and representatives will have identification and identify themselves.

Will customer bills change after smart meters are installed?

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 or inaccurate.

What does the FEMA funding cover?

The $875 million in FEMA funding for 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 customers’ property, is in good condition before installing the new smart meter.
We will follow up with customers if they need to complete meter fitting repairs before their smart meter installation.
To be clear, the meter fitting is the responsibility of the property owner, not LUMA.

Are smart meters safe?

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 Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Can customers opt out or keep the existing meter?

The Smart Meter Initiative is part of LUMA’s larger island-wide modernization efforts, and all current electric meters, which are owned by PREPA, will need to be removed and replaced with new smart meters to ensure every customer benefits, and we can improve system reliability and provide enhanced benefits across every part of Puerto Rico.

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