With regard to electricity supply and demand this summer, the government has decided to request power conservation within a reasonable range for TEPCO's service area in the summer, noting that although it will be able to secure the minimum surplus capacity necessary for stable supply in all regions of Japan, the outlook for TEPCO's service area is extremely severe.
The government expects that the reserve ratio, which indicates the surplus power supply capacity this summer, will be able to secure the minimum 3% required for stable supply in all regions of the country.
However, within TEPCO's jurisdiction, the reserve ratio is expected to be 3.1% next month and 8.4% in August.
For this reason, the government has decided to request electricity conservation within the service of TEPCO for two months from July 8 to August 7, calling for power conservation within reasonable limits, as there is a risk that the supply and demand of electricity will become severe in the event of unexpected heat.
In this request to save electricity, no numerical targets have been set following winter, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is calling on households to turn off unnecessary lights, lower the brightness of lights in living rooms and bedrooms, and raise the temperature of air conditioning within a reasonable range.
We are also calling on companies to reduce lighting in offices and stores as much as possible, and to use curtains and blinds to improve the efficiency of air conditioning.
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Nishimura: "Save electricity within reasonable limits"
Regarding the government's decision to request power conservation in the service area of TEPCO this summer as well, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Nishimura stated at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, "If you accumulate small ingenuity and precautions such as cleaning the filter of the air conditioner from this time of year, it will have a very large energy-saving effect.