27/03 Govt to urge shorter work days / Longer holidays, production moves also considered to save power

The Yomiuri Shimbun

In a bid to deal with possible electricity shortages this summer, the government is expected to urge companies to shorten their hours of operation, extend or stagger employees' summer holidays and even transfer production bases to western parts of the country.

The government said Friday it would compile measures by the end of April to cope with an expected shortage of about 10 million kilowatts this summer in areas covered by Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Tohoku Electric Power Co.

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry said TEPCO's output has declined to 31 million kilowatts from 52 million kilowatts before March 11, when a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

Its output is expected to be around 46.5 million kilowatts this summer, if boosted by resumed operations at thermal power plants.

However, the ministry has calculated that demand will increase to a peak of about 55 million kilowatts in summer even if people try to conserve electricity, due to heavy use of air conditioners. This would mean a shortage of about 10 million kilowatts.

"If we envision the same demand as last year, which saw a massive heat wave, the shortage could be up to 15 million kilowatts," Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Banri Kaieda said.

As part of its ad-hoc measures for this summer, the government will try to fill the projected gap by slashing electricity demand and boosting supply capacities. Companies and factories will be asked to extend or stagger their employees' summer vacations, shorten operation hours and set a cap on overall electricity use.

"[The government] may ask people to rethink their everyday lives because power shortages this summer will be unavoidable," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said.

The government will also consider introducing daylight savings time and urging firms to promote staggered working hours.

Setting a cap on electricity use obliges consumers to limit their power use under the Electricity Business Law--a measure enforced in 1974 during the oil crisis. It also requires households and companies to review their contracts with power firms.

The government will consider lowering the cap on power use so electricity demand will not rapidly increase at its peak. It also will promote the introduction of home electric generators and restarting old thermal power stations that had halted operations.

The government said related ministries and agencies would decide how to introduce energy-saving measures after discussing their feasibility in bureau-chief level talks.

In the midterm, the government plans to consider building new thermal power plants. It also is considering reinforcing facilities and equipment such as voltage converters, to increase the amount of electricity that can be received from power firms in western regions such as Chubu Electric Power Co. and Kansai Electric Power Co.

Firms in Western Japan use a different electricity frequency from those in eastern regions of the country.

Measures to promote solar-power generation will be discussed, and the government plans to consider if the complicated and time-consuming procedures necessary for building power plants can be simplified.

It also intends to urge companies to relocate their production bases outside eastern regions, but a senior official of the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry expressed concern that such a move could lead many companies to move overseas.

(Mar. 27, 2011)