Tokyo invites citizens to save energy to avoid going into crisis
For the second year in a row, the Japanese government is asking Tokyo's households and industries to conserve electricity this summer to ensure continuity of power supply in the hottest months of July and August.
Electricity supplies in resource-poor Japan are expected to be less stringent this summer than in the summer of 2022, but the government on Friday again called for energy savings in the capital Tokyo, "within a reasonable range".
Tokyo Electric Power Company is estimated to have a reserve ratio of less than 5%, close to the minimum target of 3% to ensure a stable supply of electricity. This explains the request for energy savings, in the face of such a tense situation.
In the event of a once-a-decade heat wave, the Tokyo area could have spare capacity of just 3.1% in July and 4.8% in August, according to ministry estimates of Japanese industry cited by Reuters. Reserve rates for other regions of Japan were expected to exceed 5 percent in both July and August, the ministry said in its summer demand and reserves forecast last week.
Normally these recommendations lead to the limitation of the use of air conditioning in the offices, with the authorization, indeed the invitation, for public and private employees to dress informally, without a jacket and tie and with a short-sleeved shirt or polo shirt . A very important change for the formal Japanese working world.
A continuity of energy policy
Last year, Japan launched a nationwide appeal for electricity conservation in the summer, seeking to prevent blackouts as spare capacity was expected to drop to critical levels. Due to the energy crisis and soaring spot LNG prices, Japan, along with other Northern Hemisphere countries, called for energy conservation and electricity conservation for households, offices and governments and industries.
Japan extended its energy conservation invitation also to winter 2022/2023, as energy shortages and LNG price inflation continued to have negative effects. To secure energy supplies, the Japanese government even amended the national fuel law in October so that state agencies can procure LNG in case private buyers are unable to secure sufficient volumes.
Another major Asian economy, China, is also bracing itself for another summer of energy shortages. As China's electricity demand is set to increase, some areas of the country could face electricity shortages again at times of peak demand this summer, Chinese officials said in April.
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The article Tokyo invites citizens to save energy to avoid going into crisis comes from Scenari Economici .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/tokio-invita-i-cittadini-a-risparmiare-energia-per-evitare-di-andare-in-crisi/ on Fri, 09 Jun 2023 13:02:36 +0000.