-- Kyushu Electric Power Co. has won a tender to supply electricity to the Fukuoka Prefectural Government, defeating newcomer Nippon Steel Corp. by offering a price 14 percent lower than that in fiscal 2000, the prefectural government said Friday.
The bid price was about 270 million yen for about 4,900 kw of electricity to be used at the prefectural offices and other public facilities during fiscal 2001.
Nippon Steel participated in the bid following the central government's liberalization of the power supply industry. But its bid price exceeded that of Kyushu Electric.
In February, Kyushu Electric won a similar bid for Kumamoto Prefecture for fiscal 2001 by offering a price that was 11 percent lower than in fiscal 2000.
Other large-lot consumers in Kyushu, including Kagoshima Prefecture and Kyushu University, are expected to hold similar tenders for power, Kyushu Electric officials said.
The company expects fierce competition from newcomers in the electric power retail market, the officials said, adding the company will keep trying to improve cost efficiency.