The government released its summer power-saving plan Friday, asking households and businesses served by seven utilities to voluntarily cut consumption by 5 to 15 percent to deal with an expected shortage amid the nationwide atomic plant shutdown.
Although compulsory electricity-saving orders were not issued, the government is preparing for possible rolling blackouts in areas covered by Kansai Electric Power Co., Kyushu Electric, Hokkaido Electric and Shikoku Electric.
Under the plan, users in Kepco's service area, including Osaka and Kyoto, will be asked to cut electricity use by 15 percent from 2010 levels, when Japan had its hottest summer since in 1898.