The first Japanese utility to restart a nuclear reactor under post-Fukushima rules has restarted a campaign urging users to increase power consumption discontinued after the unprecedented triple meltdown in March 2011.
Kyushu Electric Power Co., which expects at least two nuclear reactors to be online next year, aims to start a television advertising campaign to promote the adoption of “all electric households,” according to spokesman Shinpei Ikeda. The company began a web campaign earlier this month, and is offering promotions for customers who purchase electric stoves and heaters. By using electricity instead of gas, the Fukuoka-based company is hoping that households boost stagnating demand and eat up some of its excess supply.
The push comes amid market reform introduced in April to increase competition and after power demand from the nation’s 10 regional utilities fell to an 18-year low. For the first time since Fukushima, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced on Tuesday that it won’t request companies and households to implement measures to cut power consumption, known as “setsuden,” this winter due in part to the boost in supplies following the restart of some nuclear reactors.
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What appalling narrow-mindededness–as if every bit of conservation weren’t needed to save our earth, as if nuclear were truly “clean” energy.