Japanese government announced power conservation targets for this summer

The Japanese government announced May 18 measures to prepare for tight power supply-demand conditions anticipated in the country this summer. It will request power saving efforts in seven of the country’s ten electricity service areas with conservation targets ranging from 5 per cent to 15 per cent relative to 2010. Of the seven areas, preparations for rolling blackouts will be undertaken in four areas of Hokkaido, Kansai, Shikoku and Kyushu as a precaution.

Because there is currently no prospect for the restart of Japan’s nuclear power plants, which have been shut down for periodic inspection, the country is predicted to be in short supply of power this summer. Except the service area of the Okinawa Electric Power, which does not own a nuclear power plant, customers of nine other utilities will be asked to reduce their power consumption. Of the nine utilities, the service areas of Tohoku Electric Power and Tokyo Electric Power will be asked to save electricity without specific targets, and those of the other seven utilities will be subject to their respective power conservation targets.

Among the seven utilities for which conservation targets have been set, the most severe power shortage is expected for the service area of Kansai Electric Power. The utility has been relying on nuclear power for a large portion of its generation capacity. Its customers will be requested to reduce power consumption by 15 per cent or more relative to 2010. The most difficult situation next to Kansai Electric Power is expected for Kyushu Electric Power, whose customers will be asked for a power use reduction of 10 per cent or more relative to 2010. While conditions look less severe for the three areas of Chubu Electric Power, Hokuriku Electric Power and Chugoku Electric Power, conservation targets have also been set for these areas to alleviate the targets of Kansai Electric Power and Kyushu Electric Power.

Makoto Yagi, president of Kansai Electric Power and chairman of the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC), consisting of ten Japanese utilities, held a press conference on May 18 and said that it was “heart-rending” to have to ask customers to reduce power usage again this summer. He added, “All utilities will wage an all-out and unified effort to pull through this difficult time.”

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