Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Wednesday it will tie up with Toshiba Corp. and NTT Data Corp. to develop a system for next-generation "smart meters" that enable utilities to accurately monitor electricity demand and efficiently manage supply.

Smart meters can send electricity users' data to utilities in real time, helping them establish different electricity rates on certain days of the week or hours of the day. In the current system, personnel must check the meters on a monthly basis to bill the users but this won't be unnecessary under the new system.

"Smart meters are likely to spread not only in the nation but around the globe in the future. We would like to export the system overseas," said Tepco Vice President Hiroshi Yamaguchi during a press conference.

Toshiba will be responsible for the meters' communication system, which will be operated and managed by NTT Data. With smart meters, consumers can check how much power household appliances consume at any time.

The utility, which will select the provider of smart meters in an open tender slated for October, aims to sell the next-generation system overseas in the future.