Last Friday night Tokyo Electric Power Co. announced, just in time for the nightly news, that it would be able to provide up to 52 million kW by the end of July. At present, the company can provide a maximum of about 42 million kW. Usually during the hottest days of summer they need 55 million, and if this year's weather is anything like last summer's, they could need 60 million.

So if Tepco's assurance is sincere, there should be no problem with supply for the near future. The government has asked households to reduce their energy consumption by 10 to 15 percent, and consumers have already started getting into the habit of saving electricity. Still, if the crisis has taught us anything, it's that we can't proceed under the current system of energy supply. Changes need to be carried out on a national scale, but before that happens individuals with means will certainly look to assure their own electricity needs by themselves, and some manufacturers are only too happy to help.

In terms of cheap, makeshift solutions, one can always buy a portable generator with an AC outlet. Honda makes one for the agricultural market called Enepo at a list price of ¥10,470. It runs on two cassettes of liquid propane gas, the kind you use to run those portable gas ranges, and can produce 900kW for two hours. The main catch is that you're supposed to keep it outside, but that shouldn't be a problem in the summer. A representative of Honda told TBS that even since the earthquake orders for the generator have increased tenfold. Also, the retailer Yamada Denki is working with a company called West Holdings to make a large rechargeable lithium battery for home use. The battery can be recharged through a home outlet at night when electricity is plentiful, and then used during the daytime if the need arises.