GE & Meralco partner to upgrade smart infrastructure

Electronics giant General Electric is teaming up with the Philippines’ largest utility to bring smart grid infrastructure to the Southeast Asian country.

G.E. and the Manila Electric Company, or Meralco, are working on developing an advanced smart grid roadmap that will allow households across Meralco’s service area to better manage their energy consumption.

“We are looking at the benefits of smart prepaid metering to deliver better service to our customers,” said Alfredo Panlilio, head of customer retail services and corporate communications for Meralco.

“This is the first phase of our long-term smart grid roadmap, which will eventually not only focus on prepaid metering, but also the modernization of our electric infrastructure, which will eventually deliver better customer experience, improved energy efficiency and enhanced reliability,” he added.

The first phase of the smart grid project will involve integrating “smart intelligence” into the electric distribution network. G.E.’s Digital Energy business and Trilliant, a provider of communications platforms for the energy industry will be providing the smart energy infrastructure needed to achieve this.

G.E. will provide electric meters and system integration services. Also to be included would be Trilliant Smart Grid Communications Platform which will enable advanced intelligence in the prepaid metering system and serve as a foundational platform for future advanced smart grid capabilities.

“This advanced smart grid platform gives Meralco the capabilities to transform consumers’ relationship with electricity,” said Matt McKenzie, general manager, Asia Pacific, G.E. Digital Energy.

“With this system, consumers will be able to more easily and effectively manage their use and budget. The enhanced network control and efficiency tools enabled by smart meters open doors to the very latest energy innovations that can increase productivity and efficiency, while reducing and minimizing outages,” said Mr. McKenzie.