Japan’s government has alerted people about possible blackouts due to low power supplies after several coal-fired power plants were temporarily shut down following the earthquake last week.
TOKYO (AP), Japan’s government has warned people about possible blackouts Tuesday due to low power supplies after several coal-fired plants stopped generating electricity last week following the earthquake.
This rare alert calls on companies and households to conserve power as Tokyo is experiencing snow and unusually cold temperatures for early spring. It also prompts the use of heaters.
Four people were killed and more than 230 injured by the magnitude-7.4 earthquake that struck Fukushima’s coast last Wednesday. It also reminded people of the March 2011 tsunami, earthquake, and nuclear disasters that decimated northeastern Japan’s coastline.
The temporary power outages caused by last week’s earthquake reached a peak of 2 million homes. This was due to the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings inspecting and repairing the damage at the coal-fired power plants.
Officials stated that power had been restored but that the grid was severely affected by unusual snowfall and cold.
Midafternoon, it was clear that the conservation efforts were insufficient to prevent blackouts, Economic and Industry Minister Koichi Hagiuda stated, encouraging households and businesses to cooperate.
Japan’s COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted on Tuesday. As infections began to slow down, bars and restaurants would resume normal hours. However, guests may have to eat under dimmed lights.
Hagiuda warned that blackouts would occur in large areas without further power conservation. She asked convenience stores, supermarkets, department stores, and supermarkets to turn off neon signs and encouraged manufacturing factories to conserve as much power as possible.
