From 1 October 2026, Panasonic refrigerators equipped with demand response capabilities will be integrated with TEPCO’s system in an initiative to enable automatic power savings during designated time periods and shift electricity consumption to other times. Users can also earn points by enabling automatic control of eligible appliances and participating in the Eco and Energy-Saving Challenge.
Demand response (DR) is a system for adjusting electricity demand through the operation or automatic control of household appliances and equipment. It includes downward DR, which suppresses demand, and upward DR, which creates demand or shifts it to another time period. TEPCO is promoting the spread of this system and encouraging the automation of energy-use behavior.
Under this initiative, Panasonic refrigerators equipped with DR capabilities will be integrated with TEPCO’s system. Downward DR will reduce electricity use by, among other measures, pre-cooling the refrigerator compartment during designated time periods, while upward DR will shift the usual defrosting operation to those periods.
Automatic control can be used simply by integrating and configuring an eligible refrigerator with the dedicated KitchenPocket app. Eligible models include NR-F65WX3, NR-F60WX3, NR-F55WX3, NR-F55HY3, NR-F50HY3, and NR-F45HY3, with additional models to be added sequentially.
The usage procedure is presented in 3 steps. After configuring the DR function, users apply to participate in the Eco and Energy-Saving Challenge. The application form can be accessed through TEPCO’s website, and registration of the eligible refrigerator and DR mode configuration are required.