It sounds like the typical sale b#$ls%^t from a salesperson who conned a poco to spend big.
You will be paying for this as a customer in CHCH, poco's are no charities. They have to recover the 100 M+ costs somewhere.
We did a trial with the TWACS system in Auckland which failed for the domestic side of the metering. Hard to read the data through the powerlines etc.
The only reliable system at the moment for TOU (time of use) readings is through phonelines or cellphones, and done for the bigger customers 3 Ø 100 Amps or more.
It does not warrant the cost having a dedicated line for each meter in a house.
edited for typo's
[This message has been edited by RODALCO (edited 08-05-2006).]
The product of rotation, excitation and flux produces electricty.
The idea's been around for a long time and has been implemented in various places over the years. The main thing the poco are trying do is get rid of the meter readers and cut out admin costs.
My understanding of remote residential powerline meterein is the meter itself won't have a cell phone, but will communicate with a neighbourhood network, which will use a cell phone or whatever to communicate to the Poco.
YAYY!!!! Gidday there mate, We thought we'd lost you ages ago. Great to see you back!. How are things in your neck of the woods?. Always nice to to see a new old face.
{Message edited for a typo}
[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 08-07-2006).]