The government of Japan has warned that supplies will be strained and has asked residents of Tokyo and the surrounding area to consume less electricity as the nation prepares for a heatwave.
According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, a “severe” demand for electricity is anticipated this afternoon local time.
It is advised to turn off extra lights while using air conditioning to prevent heat stroke.
Officials have predicted increasing temperatures for weeks. A record of 40.2°C was recorded in Isesaki, a city northwest of the capital, during the weekend, while temperatures in central Tokyo climbed above 35°C. In June, Japan has never experienced a temperature that high.
Summer officially begins in Japan in June, with average highs that rarely rise beyond 30 degrees Celsius.
The ministry predicted that by Monday afternoon in Tokyo and eight neighboring prefectures, the extra capacity for generating power would fall to 3.7 percent. It believes a 3 percent buffer is required for a reliable power supply.
The ministry urged people to “properly use air conditioning and hydrate during hot hours” and turn off superfluous lights for three hours starting at 15:00 Tokyo time (07:00 BST).
As temperatures rise, the situation is “unpredictable,” according to the ministry, despite efforts by electrical companies to enhance supplies.
According to the statement, “the reserve margin will fall below the minimum necessary of 3 percent if there is a surge in demand and unexpected supply problems.”
Japan’s electricity supply has been limited ever since March’s earthquake in the country’s northeastern region forced some nuclear power reactors to halt operations. Furthermore, in an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, authorities have shut down a number of outdated fossil fuel plants.
A power crunch results from these problems and an increase in electrical consumption. Therefore, the Japanese government urged people and businesses to conserve electricity as much as they could during summer earlier this month.
As of Sunday afternoon, 46 patients in Tokyo had been admitted to hospitals for what was thought to be heatstroke, according to the Japanese public broadcaster NHK. Additionally, it stated that the disease was thought to have caused the death of a 94-year-old man in the nearby city of Kawagoe.
The report comes after Australian authorities advised residents of New South Wales, which contains Sydney, the nation’s largest metropolis, to turn off their lights in the face of an energy crisis. Australian wholesale energy market restrictions were eased late last week.
