Meralco eyes smart meters, broadband over power lines

Power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is negotiating with foreign technology firms on the use of smart meters as a way of monitoring consumption. Smart meters record and communicate consumption to consumers via a communications network service. The introduction of smart meters follows Meralco’s “attempt to address consumer needs," Meralco chief operating officer Oscar Reyes said in an interview with reporters. Meralco, the country’s largest power distributor, is presently in talks with American, Asian, and European technology vendors, he said. “At present, the consumer is using electricity without knowing how much he used or how much he will be paying until he receives the bill," Reyes said. Should consumers use smart meters, they can control their consumption, he added. Meralco is also in talks with telecom giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) on the communications services part, said Alfred Panlilio, Meralco senior vice president and head of customer retail services. Manuel V. Pangilinan is chairman of both Meralco and PLDT. “We will need a good telco backbone to help us in terms of smart grid and smart meters — things that will eventually give us the ability to do [pre-paid] metering," Panlilio said. Smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers that will reduce costs and increase reliability, according to the power utility. Meralco will continue to study how to put in place broadband service over power lines — or the transmission of digital data through existing power cables and electricity — as a value-added service to its more than 4.8 million customers, according to the senior vice president. “[The] two projects are really challenging us and we hope we’d be able to deliver… in due time," Panlilio said. Pilot tests have been conducted already for the smart meter and broadband over power line projects, he said, pointing out that more trials should be conducted to ensure the success of the system. — JE/VS, GMANews.TV