Page 7 - AsiaElec Week 01 2021
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AsiaElec POLICY AsiaElec
TEPCO to receive emergency power
supplies as temperatures plummet
GLOBAL JAPAN’S TEPCO is to receive up to 1.22 GW of spare capacity, and currently meet 91%, 90% and
emergency power supplies from utilities in other 88% of local demand.
regionals of the country in order to meet rising The country has a fragmented transmission
demand in the Tokyo area as temperatures fall. and distribution network, with regional suppli-
TEPCO said this was its first request for ers enjoying virtual monopolies on their home
emergency help this winter, as heavy snowfall patch.
drove up electricity consumption, especially for TEPCO also said that it advised its customers
heating households and offices, Japan’s NHK to avoid wasting electricity in a bid to prevent
reported. blackouts.
TEPCO said that demand had reached 97% The shortages pushed up spot electricity
of its supply capacity on the afternoon of Decem- prices because of high demand, Platts reported.
ber 6, and is expected to stay at that level until As well as inflexible distribution and supply
evening. infrastructure, Japan’s efforts to reduce fossil-fuel
The 1.22 GW are to be supplied by Hokkaido, based generation and its closure of nuclear reac-
Tohoku and Chubu Electric Power Compa- tors mean that it is exposed to shortages of power
nies under a national system run by regulator during times of high demand.
Organization for Cross-regional Coordination The government has long-term plans to
of Transmission (OCCTO). expand renewables and develop hydrogen tech-
This involves TEPCO approaching OCCTO nology, while reducing the role of imported coal
and the regulator approving the supplies. and gas.
OCCTO said it had approved the supply of 1.22 Nevertheless, the country is still vulnerable
GW until 8 pm on January 6. to sudden demand spikes during cold snaps.
Hokkaido, Tohoku and Chubu have more
Week 01 05•January•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P7
