(Observer Network News) According to the Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) report on the 28th local time, the Kanto region has continued to have high temperatures for days, causing the power supply within the jurisdiction of Tokyo Electric Power Company (hereinafter referred t

( Observer Network News) According to the Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK) report on the 28th local time, the Kanto region has continued to have high temperatures for days, causing the power supply within the jurisdiction of Tokyo Electric Power Company (hereinafter referred to as "Tepco") to face severe conditions. The Japanese government has issued a "power supply shortage alert" for two consecutive days since the 27th, urging businesses, households and government departments within the scope of TEPCO's power supply to reduce electricity consumption and turn off lights and other unnecessary electrical appliances from 15:00 to 18:00. , and "appropriate" use of air conditioning.

Tepco’s power supply covers Tokyo and eight surrounding counties, where about one-third of Japan’s total population lives. During the power outage, employees of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government worked in darkness. Public facilities such as the iconic stock price electronic display screen in Nihombashi Kabuto Town and some escalators in Sunshine City Ikebukuro were closed one after another. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' production workshops used their own generators, and the capital Nearly 10,000 7-11 convenience stores have stopped serving fried food. People who cannot use rice cookers can only share their experiences of using gas to cook casserole rice on social media...

It is expected that the tight power supply in Japan will continue or even worsen, NHK latest According to reports, Japan will continue to issue a "power supply alert" on the 29th, and power cuts will start at 15:00 and extend to 20:00 that night. This morning, 13 people were sent to hospital due to suspected heatstroke caused by energy conservation.

Japanese officials have been warning for weeks that Japan will experience serious power supply shortages as the scorching summer heat sets in early. June marks the start of summer in Japan, with temperatures typically staying below 30°C. But over the past weekend, the temperature in central Tokyo rose to above 35°C, while the temperature in Isesaki City, northwest of Tokyo, reached a record high of 40.2°C, the highest temperature in June since records began in Japan.

Exceptionally hot weather is pushing the Tokyo power grid to its limit. The power supply reserve capacity in TEPCO's jurisdiction, known as the "power reserve rate", is predicted to drop below 5% to 3.7%, almost reaching the "readiness rate" red line ( 3%), Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry therefore issued a newly established “power supply stress alert” to relevant areas for the first time on the 27th.

Information from the Tokyo Electric Power Company website shows that the company is responsible for power supply in eight counties including Tokyo, Ibaraki Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture. This area is home to about 1/3 of Japan's population, about 37 million people. After the "alert" was issued, they were called on to do their best to save electricity during the period from 15 to 18 o'clock that afternoon, for example: turn off unnecessary lights, set the air conditioner temperature to 28°C, and keep the refrigerator at refrigerated temperature. for "moderate" and so on.

Comprehensive reports from NHK, Asahi Shimbun and other Japanese media reported that after the power cuts began on the first day (27th), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government stopped 1/4 of the elevators, turned off most of the lights in the office building, and asked staff to Try to concentrate in one area, and everyone can only use the weak light of the computer screen to work in the dark.

The Hokoda City Government has also turned off most lights on all floors above the second floor of the office building, and about 30 public facilities in the city, including libraries, primary and secondary schools, have adopted more stringent power-saving measures than before.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Enterprises in the involved areas have also tried their best to cooperate with power reduction measures or take "self-rescue". Sony has turned off the lights on some base signs;Mitsubishi is preparing to open production workshops in Yokohama City and Sagamihara City. Use their own generators; about 8,800 7-11 convenience stores near the metropolitan area have adjusted their meal preparation times and will not prepare fried foods during power cuts; Iwasaki Food Industry is paying close attention to the newly installed power monitoring system in the factory. Once used, If the electric alarm goes off, work will have to be stopped.

Many public places took power-saving measures on that day. Tokyo's Nihombashi Kabutocho, known as the "Street of Securities," took the rare step of shutting down its iconic display showing stock prices.

In commercial districts such as Ikebukuro Sunshine City and Ueno Takiya, their advertising screens and some escalators stopped operating, and the power supply of TVs, electric fans and other home appliances displayed on the shelves were also turned off.

Even the waterfall landscape in a commercial aquarium on the top floor of the shopping mall was closed to save power. The penguins in the exhibition hall hid in the shade to enjoy the coolness in the hot summer.

Since the power outage period coincides with the time when Japanese people are usually preparing dinner, many housewives are very troubled by not being able to use rice cookers and electric kettles. Therefore, there are also popular posts on social media about "How to cook with gas and casseroles" .

In order to prevent the indoor heat caused by frying food at home, many underground stores in shopping malls offered discounts and promotions on tempura , tonkatsu and other take-out fried foods, attracting many consumers to patronize.

"Cooking rice with gas and clay pot for the first time"

In the past two days, power cuts have seriously affected the daily lives of people in Tokyo and other areas. As of this morning, 13 people have been sent to the hospital for suspected heatstroke. Fuji News also reported that at least two people were believed to have died from heat stroke, prompting authorities to tone down calls for energy conservation.

28, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Koichi Hagiuda said at a press conference: "Obviously, some elderly people have turned off their air conditioners because we ask people to save energy, but now that the weather is so hot, please don't hesitate to try to keep it safe. Cool. "And days like this will continue until at least the 29th. NHK's latest report said that the power cuts will be extended to 20:00 that night.

Regarding the shortage of power supply this time, the Asahi Shimbun analysis said that in addition to the surge in electricity demand in summer, the difficulty in significantly increasing power production capacity is also an important reason for the tight supply and demand. While a large number of nuclear power plants are out of operation, Japan's thermal power generation is facing bottlenecks in increasing production in the short term due to the shutdown of old equipment and the impact of the Fukushima offshore earthquake in March this year. Coupled with this summer's hotter than expected heat, the power supply Seriously inadequate.

In order to improve the power shortage as soon as possible, the joint venture of Tokyo Electric Power Company and Chubu Electric Power Company recently announced that it will restart two thermal power plants in Chiba Prefecture and Aichi Prefecture in advance on the 29th.

However, some Japanese media believe that this measure is actually a drop in the bucket, saying that after the power plant is restarted, it can only improve the power supply emergency by 1%, but as long as the temperature rises by 1℃, the electricity consumption rate will increase by 2%. TEPCO Power Supply It's always a "tightrope walk."

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