Meralco teams up with South Korean power utility for smart metering advancement

MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) has partnered with South Korean power utility Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) and its Knowledge Data Network (KDN) to advance the use of “smart metering” technologies.

In a statement on Thursday, Meralco said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with KEPCO and KDN to facilitate knowledge sharing on the use of digital technology and emerging business trends in the cities of Seoul and Manila.

The partnership also seeks to promote cooperation for participation in the smart metering business, as well as collaboration in securing local partners and networks in both countries.

The MoU also covers cooperation in understanding the technologies of the parties involved through training.

“Our collaboration with KEPCO and its KDN forms part of our efforts to leverage new technologies and continuously find innovative ways to make Meralco’s service more reliable and efficient for the benefit of our customers,” Meralco Vice-President and Head for Revenue Assurance and Metering Services Marvin G. Gonsalves said.

KEPCO is the largest electric utility company in South Korea, responsible for the generation, transmission, and distribution of power.

Since 2021, Meralco has been integrating smart metering technologies into its distribution network to improve operational efficiency, enhance grid reliability and resiliency, as well as empower its customers.

Smart meters allow electricity consumers to monitor their power consumption in real time.

In September last year, Meralco said it would pilot test about 5,000 smart meters as part of its advanced metering infrastructure program.

“As a leader in the energy industry, Meralco actively invests in the improvement of its distribution network to deliver reliable, stable, and safe electricity service to its eight million customers,” the company said.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc.

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