Nuclear powerNuclear power shortages forces Japan to reduce consumption

As winter approaches, residents of Japan are being asked to cut power consumption by 10 percent as many of the country’s nuclear reactors have remained offline since the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi atomic energy plant.

Customers served by Kansai Electric Power Co. will be hit particularly hard as the utility is most reliant on nuclear power. By the end of the year, all but one of its reactors will have been taken offline forcing the utility to use fossil fuels and other alternatives to provide power to its customers.

Kansai Electric anticipates reporting a full-year loss due to the higher costs of using fossil fuels to run its power stations.

Since the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, less than one-fifth of Japan’s fifty-four reactors have been in operation due to damage or because of scheduled maintenance. Following the nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, none of the country’s other reactors have been restarted as a result of safety concerns.

Prior to the disaster, atomic power plants generated roughly 25 percent of the country’s total energy, making it the third-most nuclear reliant country in the world.

With the bulk of its reactors offline, Japan is struggling to keep pace with demand. The country’s power supply could fall short by 9.2 percent next summer if reactors are not restarted and demand for power remains at record highs.

In addition, Japan’s fuel costs could increase by roughly $38 billion if utilities shift to natural gas and oil to compensate for projected short falls.

Despite these shortages, officials assure residents that they have developed a plan that can avoid scheduled blackouts.

“We have made an action plan that avoids scheduled blackouts and mandatory power saving,” Tsuyoshi Saito, deputy chief cabinet secretary. “It will be reviewed in spring next year.”

From 19 December to 23 March, Kansai Electric consumers will be asked to voluntarily reduce power consumption by 10 percent, while customers in southwestern Japan will be asked to cut consumption by more than 5 percent.

For the first time since the 1970s, the Japanese government was forced to impose mandatory power usage quotas in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

By next summer, the Japanese government hopes to reduce power consumption by 9,800 megawatts through the use of smart meters and energy conservation. In addition, the government hopes to boost energy production by 6,420 megawatts with added thermal, hydro, and renewable power projects.