The project involves nine partners from six countries. The project partners are developing an economic and technological model for an efficient use of communications infrastructure in smart grids of the future, Telekom Slovenije CEO Zoran Vehovar told the press.

The project will also include building a pilot smart grid in Slovenia. "This project will have an important impact for the future development of smart energy networks, not only in Slovenia but also in the wider EU," Vehovar said.

The three-year project is estimated at about EUR 5m, with EUR 3m coming from the EU's 7th Framework Programme.

The international consortium includes Slovenia's Telekom Slovenije, power distributor Elektro Primorska, engineering company Elektroservisi and research institute IJS. European partners include Denmark's Aalborg University, France's Gemalto, Germany's Gemalto M2M, TNO from the Netherlands and Toshiba Research Europe with headquarters in the UK.