Toshiba partners with two companies to commercialize smart meters

TOKYO, JAPAN -- Toshiba Corporation in conjunction with Toko Electric Corporation and the Tokyo Electric Power Company will work together to launch a venture into the commercialization of "smart meters," (advanced electricity measurement meters) equipped with advanced communication and other functions. Toshiba will work with Toko Electric in the design, development and production of these smart meters with the goal to eventually have them installed in households all across Tokyo Electric Power's service area starting in the fiscal year of 2013. With the growing movement in the U.S. and Europe toward the introduction of smart meters to homes, this announcement is being welcomed by all those who are advocating better use of our electrical resources. The partnership of these three companies hope to expand distribution outside Japan to areas such as Europe and Southeast Asia.

The first step in this new partnership is the a signing of a letter of understanding, which is to occur very soon. This partnership, however, is not the first of its kind in Japan. Kansai Electric Power Company, another utility company and competitor of Tokyo Electric, has already introduced a house-hold smart meter in Japan, operating on a trial basis. The edge for these three companies will be the hope of being the first to enter into a full-scale commercialization. This partnership plans to develop and introduce a new and different device from the trial meter developed by Kansai Electric Power.

The three companies will develop their smart meter to allow installation at a lower cost than the conventional electric meter currently installed in each household. Going forward from 2013, their smart meter will be installed in phases. The first phase will consist of households whose meters would be up for renewal at time of launch. The final phase will be the eventual installation of the smart meter in every household in Tokyo Electric Power's service range.

The Toshiba smart meter will be developed with advanced features in mind, such as data communication and household electrical appliance control functions. These features are being developed with the thought that they will enable households with the meter installed, the ability to control their electrical consumption and allow Tokyo Electric the ability to remotely read meters.