TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipower said Thursday the number of smart meters installed across Taiwan surpassed 3.5 million as of March.

According to Taipower, smart meters measure electricity usage and transmit data daily to the company’s information system. The company said these meters send over 300 million data points on electricity usage a day, per CNA.

Taipower said the data helps the company improve power supply reliability, enhance transmission efficiency, and optimize grid management.

Taipower aims to have six million smart meters in operation by 2030. The company plans to replace all traditional electricity meters with smart ones by 2035.

Users with smart meters can monitor their energy usage by checking their household appliances' electricity consumption and usage breakdown via the company's app, Taipower said.

Taipower also utilizes AI to improve its operational efficiency. The company’s AI customer service offers users information on bill payments, power outage and restoration updates, and other electricity-related inquiries. It reported that over 100,000 users have used this service.

Last year, Taipower introduced AI to help its employees with administrative tasks and software development. The company also developed an AI module named "ChatTPC" to assist staff in accessing company information.

Taipower received recognition in the Presidential Hackathon competition for its initiatives. In 2020, the company won an award for analyzing household electricity usage patterns in New Taipei communities using smart meter data and developing a big data model.

In 2021, Taipower received the award again for its “marine ranch” initiative, a collaborative effort with National Taiwan Ocean University and the Keelung Fishermen's Association. The project used thermal discharge water from power plants for fish farming and algae cultivation, contributing to carbon capture and storage.