Japan's 10 regional power utilities expanded their power generation and purchases from other entities by 7.9 percent in July from a year earlier to 90.72 billion kwh, marking the eighth straight month of year-on-year rise, an industry body said in a preliminary report Friday.
Industrial power demand was brisk amid economic recovery, while scorching weather mainly in eastern Japan prompted use of air conditioners, the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan said.