"As China aims to spend billions of dollars to criss-cross the country with new long-distance power infrastructure, investments in new technologies that combine electricity and telecommunications are drawing key interest from corporates.

These new technologies, known as 'smart grid', are estimated to be a nearly $100 billion opportunity over the next five years and would easily exceed the $45 billion China is spending on 3G telecommunications technology over the same period.

"Ultimately, the thinking is that the spending on energy production and distribution -- the grid -- will dwarf 3G spending," said Will Davis, senior vice-president at Cogo Group, a component supplier that has won smart meter tenders in China with its partner, the Wasion Group."

David Stanway reports for Reuters November 29, 2010. [2]