The government said Friday it wants households and companies in Hokkaido to cut electricity usage by more than 6 percent from the fiscal 2010 level to ride out another winter without nuclear power.
It is the first time since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis started that all reactors nationwide will be idle as winter sets in, but other parts of the country are expected to secure enough power to meet demand without setting such numerical targets.
In Hokkaido, people will be asked to achieve the 6 percent power-saving goal from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays between Dec. 9 and March 7, when demand for electricity is expected to peak.