Puerto Rico (U.S.)

Getting Electricity in

Puerto Rico (U.S.)

Listed below are the procedures, time and cost required for a business to obtain an electricity connection for a newly constructed building.

The information appearing on this page was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 183 economies. The most recent round of data collection for the project was completed in June 2011.

  • Name of Utility: Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA)
  • City: San Juan

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No. Procedure Time to Complete Associated Costs
1 Submit application letter to PREPA and make payment of impact fee

Customer should should provide the following information or documents:
• Personal information about applicant and spouse (if applicable), such as: name and two last names, civil status, social security number, work and residence phone numbers, driving license number, electoral card number, work address and location. If the locale rented, information on the owner, such as: name, address and phone numbers.
• Physical address of the locale where the service will be provided, with location references, if necessary.
• Postal address (if different from service location).
• Electric installation certificate (this document can be obtained through an expert electrician with valid license)
• Site Plan and electrical load estimate
• User permit (issued by OGPE) or the corresponding municipality. This permit is give by ARPE during design stage, and is a clearance of the wiring plans.
• Deposit payment (you will be informed upon applying for the service)
• Document that identifies juridical person to contract, if the service will not be in the name of a person (incorporation certificate, document that constitutes a condominium association or of a merchant or special society)
• Official document of the corporation, condominium association or society, which grants power to its representative to sign electric power service contract.
Payment can be made by cash, check at the utility offices

Agency: Puerto Rico Electrical Power Authority (PREPA) 		1 calendar day USD 1,540.0
2 Receive load estimate approval letter from PREPA and site visit from utility engineer

Utility engineer inspects the site and discusses with the electrical contractor the location of the sub-station and pole. He also checks the nearest point of connection supply. He gives a certificate of site inspection on the spot to the contractor. The load estimate letter also gives the connection charges which the customer has to pay.

Agency: Puerto Rico Electrical Power Authority (PREPA) 		10 calendar days no charge
3 Sign contract with PREPA, submit security deposit and other payment , purchase materials and complete external connection works by electrician

The security deposit can be paid by cheque, cash or by a bond. It is reimbursed upon disconnection of service.

Agency: Puerto Rico Electrical Power Authority (PREPA) 		7 calendar days USD 66,260.0
4 Contact metering department in PREPA to install meter

Electrical contractor has to call utility’s metering department to request them to install the meter. After calling it typically takes the utility about one week to come to the site. Meter installation is just a few hours of work.

Agency: Puerto Rico Electrical Power Authority (PREPA) 		7 calendar days no charge
5 Contact PREPA for electricity to be turned on

After meter installation, customer has to contact PREPA to do the final connection and turn on the electricity.

Agency: Puerto Rico Electrical Power Authority (PREPA) 		7 calendar days no charge
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