Setting Up Utilities in Puerto Rico
Here is a guide on setting up your electricity, water, and internet utilities in your new place.
- By Angela from Piloto
- November 1, 2022
- 5 min read
Did you get a new place in Puerto Rico and looking to quickly settle into your new home? Here is a guide on setting up your electricity, water, and internet utilities in your new place.
Setting up your Electricity Service
LUMA is the power company responsible for power distribution and transmission in Puerto Rico. To request a new service, call 1-844-888-5862 (LUMA) or visit any of their Customer Service Centers.
To start a new electric service, you will need the following:
- Valid government-issued photo ID.
- Social Security number
- Meter number, if available
- Premise ID, if available
- If the property is rented, you will need the lease or rental agreement
You can also access Mi LUMA web or down the app to conduct any of the following transactions at any time:
- Check out the balances for all your electric service accounts.
- Verify the due date for your payments.
- Make payments.
- Verify your payment history regardless of how you made the payment (whether online, through the phone, through your bank, or in person).
- Verify your energy consumption history.
- Verify your bills for the last 12 months.
- See the areas where power interruptions are occurring and report outages at your addresses.
- Request service transfer, disconnection, tree trimming services, and streetlight repair, among others.
- Dispute your bill.
- Request a payment plan.
- Submit a meter reading.
Below is the estimated time it takes after a service is requested:
- New service: can take up to 10 business days
- Connection: can take up to 10 business days
- Reconnection of Suspended Service: up to 24 hours
- Disconnect: as soon as possible, with the required access
Commercial Service
According to the LUMA website, you will need specific documents to document the legal entity and its authorization to enter into contracts. Read more about the documents needed here.
Setting Up Water Service
The company providing water and sewer service in Puerto Rico is Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados, or AAA (Spanish acronym). To set up your water utility, head to the AAA website. Note that the website is in Spanish. To access your account, go to “Mi Cuenta.”
You can request the activation service through their virtual office, in person, or via email. To set up your water service, provide the following information:
- Your full name
- Your Social Security number
- Your ID card or driver’s license
- Your physical address
- Your postal address, if different from your physical address.
- Your phone number
- A picture of your water meter showing the serial number.
- Plumbers Certification issued by a plumber certified by the Colegio de Maestro Plomero of Puerto Rico (if the property is new or has been out of service for more than a year)
- A down payment (AAA will indicate the exact amount when you apply for service)
- If you own the property, the purchase agreement or property deed.
- If you are renting, the rental or lease agreement.
You can also set up your water bill auto payments through the website. Once you have created an account, you will need to add information on your AAA service, choose within the payment options, and enter your payment information.
Setting up Internet Service
Puerto Rico has several Internet service providers throughout the island. Some options are Liberty, Claro, and Aeronet. If you live in a rural area, you might have minimal provider options. Activation time may also differ depending on where your home is, the provider you choose, and the service you choose. You most likely will need to provide the following information:
- Your full name
- Your Social Security number
- Your physical address and postal address
- Your rental contract, if applicable
- A down payment or installation fee, if applicable
About Piloto 151
Piloto 151 is the destination for virtual offices, flexible workspaces, and private office space. With coworking spaces in the heart of San Juan, Puerto Rico, our spaces have been designed to inspire creativity, cultivate connections, and celebrate wins.
Let us help you prepare your business for landing in paradise, from incorporating your business, getting a physical business address, and virtual mailbox services to permitting and certification under Puerto Rico’s world-class tax incentives, including Act 60. Contact us to get started.
