​Eastern city to replace outdated power meters with smart electricity meters

SEOUL -- To save electricity costs and increase energy efficiency, South Korea's eastern city of Wonju will replace outdated power meters with smart electricity meters that provide power consumption information in real-time every 15 minutes. The meter is linked to a smartphone application that allows people to check the electricity consumption of elderly single households. 
 
Wonju will receive applications from citizens who wish to have their old meters replaced with new ones until March 2023. A remote automatic meter reading system will be established by June 2023. Selected residents can receive the new power meters for free. Wonju City will provide administrative support while CNU Global, an internet of things (IoT)-based device maker, will be in charge of the production and management.
 
"We will provide administrative support so that many residents can benefit (from the project) as there is no need to bear the cost," an unnamed Wonju official said in a statement on November 11. The city said people living in apartment buildings constructed before 2010 can apply for the replacement.