Power Shortage Advisory For Greater Tokyo Area To Stay In Effect On Wednesday
Japan's government has extended its advisory on possible power shortages in Tokyo and surrounding areas to Wednesday as sweltering heat is expected to continue.
The government announced the extension on Tuesday as intense heat hit the Kanto region, including Tokyo, for a fourth straight day.
It said reserve capacity may drop below 5 percent for Tokyo Electric Power Company, which serves the capital and surrounding areas. Electricity demand for uses such as air conditioning is expected to remain high.
The advisory has been in effect since it was first issued on Sunday under a new protocol to alert people about possible electricity shortages.
The government is asking people in the region to again reduce power consumption on Wednesday, especially between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. The period is longer than those of the two previous days.
The government also announced that it will not issue advisories for areas served by Hokkaido Electric and Tohoku Electric, both in northern Japan, as their reserve capacity is expected to be above 5 percent.