LUMA: Customers will be accountable for smart meter malfunctions

By The Star Staff

LUMA Energy, the private operator responsible for electrical energy transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico, has stated that customers will be accountable for any malfunctions in the smart meters that are replacing the traditional analog meters.

LUMA Director of Metering Jesús López Argüello said the installation of the smart meters will take three to four years islandwide. He noted that customers will not incur any costs for the installation, as it will be funded by federal resources.

“If we encounter any issues or require repairs, that will be the customer’s responsibility,” López Argüello said in a radio interview. “However, we will work to minimize these issues so that we can perform meter changes during regular business hours. […] If we find that the meter cannot be replaced due to damage in the base, we will collaborate closely with the customer to inform them that their base is not suitable for a new meter.”

The LUMA official added that the company began the second phase of meter installation a week ago after assessing the initial meters scheduled for replacement in the San Juan area.

“The first phase involves observing the existing meters in the field and comparing them to our records. This phase will continue over the next few years, but we are also moving forward with the installation of new meters,” he said. “[…] These smart meters will provide us with visibility during service interruptions, such as the well-known ‘pockets,’ which we currently cannot monitor with analog meters.”