Japan's electric utilities are starting up mothballed crude oil and fuel oil power plants to cope with increased demand from a deadly 1.2-week heatwave. Kansai Electric Power confirmed it has started up 1.2 old oil-fired power plants with a combined capacity of two GW, while a spokesperson for Tokyo Electric Power said it had been running oil, coal, and gas plants above their usual maximum capacity. The heatwave has also led to record power prices and is expected to continue into August, traditionally Japan's hottest month.
Japan's electric utilities are starting up mothballed crude oil and fuel oil power plants to cope with increased demand from a deadly two-week heatwave. Kansai Electric Power confirmed it has started up two old oil-fired power plants with a combined capacity of 1.2 GW, while a spokesperson for Tokyo Electric Power said it had been running oil, coal, and gas plants above their usual maximum capacity. The heatwave has also led to record power prices and is expected to continue into August, traditionally Japan's hottest month.