Tag - utilities

 
 

UTILITIES

Idemitsu Kosan's model facility in Yokohama offering an electric vehicle charging service
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 15, 2023
Japan moves to make more effective use of solar power
Efforts are being made to use surplus electricity generated during the daytime by solar power and to shift power demand according to supply.
The No. 2 reactor of Chugoku Electric Power's Shimane nuclear plant in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, in September 2021
JAPAN
Sep 11, 2023
Chugoku Electric plans to restart Shimane reactor next August
The move comes as Japan aims to reboot more reactors to help diversify its electricity mix.
Kansai Electric Power's Oi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture
BUSINESS / Economy
Aug 3, 2023
Japan's nuclear restarts this year to hasten LNG import decline
Kansai Electric Power's plan next month to relaunch the last idle reactor at its flagship nuclear plant will mark an energy shift in Japan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 14, 2023
Four Japanese utilities and sales units slapped with business improvement orders
The industry ministry monitoring committee on gas and electricity businesses concluded that their actions hinder liberalization of the electricity market and the development of the sector.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / FOCUS
Jun 27, 2023
Competition growing over sales of energy-saving goods in Japan
Many consumers are buying new air conditioners to replace old ones as the hot and humid season gets underway.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
May 16, 2023
Japan approves up to 42% increase in household electricity prices
Seven of Japan’s major energy providers will raise household their prices from June, in a move likely to add to inflation.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 13, 2023
Kansai Electric and four others submit business improvement plans
Kansai Electric Power Co. and four other Japanese power companies have submitted to the industry ministry plans to improve their business operations after unauthorized accesses to customer information managed by subsidiaries.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Fukushima
May 8, 2023
Crows’ nests on utility poles in Fukushima raise risk of power outages
Data shows that the number of crow-nest removals in Fukushima Prefecture totaled 1,903 in 2022, roughly tripling from 662 in 2013.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 30, 2023
Momentum grows over a 'just' climate transition in Japan, but more action needed
The government and NGOs have begun to engage with the climate issue, but more work needs to be done to ensure workers in high-emitting industries and regions don’t get left behind.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 28, 2023
Kyushu Electric to raise ¥200 billion to fund green transition
Japanese utilities were hit by high fuel costs last year as a post-pandemic energy crisis was exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 27, 2023
Three Japanese utilities report combined ¥134 billion loss on high fuel prices
Having nuclear power among its energy sources helped Kansai Electric Power to manage a net profit of ¥17.7 billion but it was still 79% lower than in the 2021 fiscal year.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Apr 4, 2023
How solar roofs are being used to power electric cars
The future of solar-powered vehicles is becoming clear: smaller, lighter, cheaper and a subtle augmentation electric driving, rather than power it in full.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 2, 2023
Biden’s landmark climate bill lures China’s clean energy giants
China’s leading renewables firms are joining the rush to open factories in the U.S. after Washington passed a landmark climate bill that supports local clean energy manufacturing.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 1, 2023
Power supply forecast to remain tight for Tokyo this summer
The reserve power supply capacity ratio in the Tokyo area in July could drop to 3%, the lowest level for maintaining stable supply, if an extreme heat grips the region.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 31, 2023
Three Japan utilities face record-high antitrust fines over alleged cartel
The penalty — a total of ¥101 billion — is the highest ever imposed by the Fair Trade Commission for a violation of the anti-monopoly law.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 28, 2023
Missed rate hikes to stick Japanese utilities with revenue shortfall
Japan's government is taking time to approve the requests from utilities such as Tepco to ease the historically high inflation burden on consumers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 4, 2023
Japanese government to curb household power rate hikes
The economy industry plans to reduce hikes in household electricity bills given a recent decline in fuel import prices.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 25, 2023
Some Japanese utilities may see price hikes delayed until after April
At a meeting Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura to conduct 'strict and careful screenings' of the applications for price hikes.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 30, 2023
Takahama nuclear reactor in Fukui halted after alert goes off
The No. 4 reactor was halted after an alert went off warning of a rapid decrease in the number of neutrons.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Explainer
Jan 26, 2023
As Japan's energy firms raise prices, here is how to cut electricity use
Seven major electric companies have applied to the industry ministry to boost its energy prices, causing further concern to households worried about rising costs.

Longform

Traditional folk rituals like Mizudome-no-mai (dance to stop the rain) provide a sense of agency to a population that feels largely powerless in the face of the climate crisis.
As climate extremes intensify, Japan embraces ancient weather rituals