Kyushu Electric Power Co. plans to supply up to 100,000 kw of electricity to Tokyo Electric Power Co., which is due to shut down all 17 of its nuclear reactors by mid-April for safety checks, Kyushu Electric officials said Wednesday.
Drawing on reserve generating capacity at Kyushu Electric's thermal power plants, the assistance would be extended for 10 hours during the day on weekdays from April through August, the officials said.
The imminent shutdown of all 17 nuclear reactors run by the nation's largest utility follows revelations in August that Tepco falsified safety reports to cover up defects at its nuclear facilities.
Tepco has already halted 14 of the 17 reactors, which generate a total of 17 million kw that is supplied to Tokyo and surrounding areas.
It has asked other regional power firms for assistance to mitigate any shortfall in power supplies, possibly up to 900,000 kw from Kyushu Electric and other suppliers in western Japan and up to 600,000 kw from Hokkaido Electric Power Co.