Japan's OCCTO directs Kansai to get extra 420 MW from Chubu on supply crunch fears

The Organization for Cross-Regional Coordination of Transmission Operators said it directed Kansai Transmission and Distribution to receive up to 420 MW of extra supply from Chubu Electric Power Grid from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm local time (0830-0930 GMT) amid fears of a supply crunch as consumption peaks.

The OCCTO earlier directed TEPCO Power Grid to receive an extra 500 MW from Chubu Electric Power Grid from 4:30 pm to 5 pm local time Sept. 12.

The OCCTO's emergency supply directive was issued for the second straight day following higher-than-usual temperatures experienced in eastern Japan and the Kansai area in western Japan. However, the OCCTO's supply coordination would have greater impact on thermal fuel consumption beyond the affected region.

In a separate development, JERA raised its electricity supply to TEPCO Power Grid by around 287 MW beyond nameplate capacity at its eight thermal power plants in the east as of 5 pm local time Sept. 12, after boosting overpower supply by 277 MW as of 1 pm earlier in the day, a JERA spokesperson told S&P Global Commodity Insights.

JERA's so-called "overpower supply" was made to TEPCO Power Grid for the second consecutive day following the latter's order.

On Sept. 12, JERA boosted its electricity supply at the No. 6 Hirono coal-fired unit, No. 1 and No. 2 Hitachinaka coal-fired units, Shin No. 1 and No. 3 Anegasaki gas-fired units, No. 2 Sodegaura gas-fired unit, No. 1 and No. 4 Futtsu combined cycle gas-fired units and No. 1 Yokosuka coal-fired unit and No. 3 and No. 4 Hekinan coal-fired units -- the same set of plants imposed overpower for Sept. 11.

Despite JERA's overpower supply, the Tokyo area's reserve power supply capacity ratio remains at 2.23% -- below the 3% required for a stable supply, at 5 pm local time, according to the OCCTO.

Meanwhile, the Kansai area's reserve power supply capacity ratio was seen at 2.57% at 6 pm local time, according to the OCCTO.

Japan's power supply and demand balance tends to tighten around early evening during the peak summer power demand season, when electricity consumption rises for air conditioning after solar power loss at sunset.

OCCTO's direction

The OCCTO -- comprising all power companies in Japan -- directed Tohoku Electric Power Network to receive up to 450 MW of electricity from Hokkaido, Tokyo, Hokuriku and Kansai power utilities from 5:30 pm to 7 pm on Sept. 11 to ensure a stable supply.

The development comes after the OCCTO directed TEPCO Power Grid to source 300 MW of electricity from Chubu Electric Power Grid from 4:30 pm to 5 pm local time Sept. 11.

The latest move by the OCCTO was attributed to tightening supply concerns amid increased demand from higher-than-expected temperatures in Tohoku Electric Power Network and TEPCO Power Grid's supply area.

In a filing to the Hatsuden Joho Kokai System Sept. 12, JERA said it plans to restart Sept. 12 the 600-MW No. 5 coal-fired unit at the Hirono thermal power plant in Fukushima prefecture in the northeast after an outage at 8 am local time (2300 GMT) Sept. 11.

Its No. 5 Hirono coal-fired unit was last restarted Sept. 11 after an Aug. 28 outage following an issue at a boiler-related facility.

JERA is a 50:50 joint venture between TEPCO Fuel & Power and Chubu Electric Power Co.