TEPCO Power Grid centralises 30,000 cameras with Genetec

TEPCO Power Grid has deployed Genetec Security Centre across its operations, centralising the management of more than 30,000 cameras.

The deployment spans 1,600 substations and service centres across the Tokyo metropolitan area, where the utility manages electricity transmission and distribution.

The move gives TEPCO Power Grid a single physical security platform for a large, geographically dispersed estate. It also extends video access to authorised staff on computers and mobile devices, allowing regional teams to monitor sites and respond to incidents without relying solely on a central function.

As part of wider technology upgrades to improve efficiency, disaster response and infrastructure modernisation, TEPCO Power Grid needed a system that could manage a growing camera estate, work with image analysis tools and support a broader range of users and devices.

After reviewing several options, the utility chose Genetec Security Centre to bring together cameras from multiple manufacturers in one environment. This allows TEPCO Power Grid to retain its existing hardware while creating a standardised layer for management and oversight.

Regional access

Under the new set-up, individual workplaces can handle tasks such as adding cameras and updating maps, rather than relying only on a central team. The shift is intended to improve day-to-day operations across the regional network.

The platform also gives teams broader visibility of equipment status, helping staff identify camera faults across sites and arrange repairs more easily.

During incidents or emergencies, managers and field teams can use remote video access to assess conditions and coordinate a response. For a utility operator with sites spread across a large urban region, this can reduce the time needed to understand what is happening at a given location.

Wider use of video

TEPCO Power Grid is also exploring how video data gathered through the system could support other parts of its operations. Accumulated footage could be combined with AI technologies as operational requirements change.

Security Centre also includes a software development kit, giving TEPCO Power Grid scope to tailor the system and connect other technologies over time. This forms part of a broader digital transformation effort as the utility updates critical infrastructure and internal workflows.

The deployment is notable for its scale. Managing more than 30,000 cameras across 1,600 sites places the project among the larger physical security roll-outs in the utility sector, particularly where legacy equipment from different manufacturers must continue to operate within a common platform.

Utilities face growing pressure to improve visibility across field operations while maintaining resilience during natural disasters, equipment failures and other disruptions. Video systems are increasingly used not only for site security, but also for operational awareness, maintenance planning and support for front-line staff.

For TEPCO Power Grid, which serves one of the world's largest urban regions, giving local teams more direct control over cameras and site data reflects a wider trend towards decentralised operations backed by common digital systems.

Tomoyuki Soma, Group Manager, System Development General Affairs Group, System Development Centre, DX Promotion Department, TEPCO Power Grid, described the early response from staff after the deployment.

"The response from users has been very positive, and we're already seeing new ideas emerge for how the system can be used across the organisation," said Tomoyuki Soma, Group Manager, System Development General Affairs Group, System Development Centre, DX Promotion Department, TEPCO Power Grid.

"Beyond supporting our current operations, we see an opportunity to leverage accumulated video data alongside AI technologies to support future operational and technology initiatives, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with Genetec."