Tokyo likely to ride out power crunch

Demand for electricity in Tokyo and surrounding areas peaked on Aug. 18, but was still only 90 percent of the supply capacity of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO). The area served by TEPCO consumed 49.36 gigawatts between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., a new high for the summer. The utility, which had warned of power shortages following the March 11 quake and the accident at its Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, has not been stretched beyond its capacity so far this summer. Temperatures in the Kanto region are expected to ease in the coming week, reducing the strain on the electricity grid from air conditioning. Last month, the government issued a decree aimed at achieving a 15 percent cut in power use compared with last summer. It was the first such decree since the oil crisis 37 years ago. Extensive energy saving efforts by businesses and households following the decree have been largely responsible for avoiding power cuts.