Development of automatic meter reading system to bulk customer

In Japan the exclusive contract, the so called supply-demand adjustment contract, has been used for more than 10 years. The supply-demand adjustment contract allows customers and utilities to share the advantage-reduced cost for electricity supply-under the circumstances of decreasing the summer peak demand and leveling the day and night load factors. A contract system of this kind is expected to further spread partly because of continually increasing daytime demand for electricity in the summer. We developed a watt-hour metering system compatible with the communication method for the automatic meter-reading system for bulk consumers. This system enables more-efficient and labor saving meter readings, and accurate measurement of power consumption. It can meet the expected future diversifications in the types of electricity tariff regulations, for example, the expected spread of the supply-demand adjustment contract system. This paper describes the system's configuration and functions and focuses attention on the measuring instruments and equipment.