Businesses and homes in Tokyo were asked to curb electricity use for a third day as a heat wave is set to reach its zenith for now, driving power margins to razor-thin levels.
The capital’s power-reserve ratios, which measure the spare electricity capacity, improved after the country’s grid coordinator ordered regional utilities to supply Tokyo. But the ratio briefly dropped to the 3% level considered the minimum for a stable grid Wednesday morning, according to the grid coordinator.
Scorching temperatures are hitting parts of the northern Kanto region that surrounds the metropolis, with blazing heat in prefectures that fall under the coverage of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (Tepco) putting pressure on the network as cooling demand rises. The temperature in Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture, reached 40 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, hitting the level for the second time after marking 40.2 C on Saturday, according to the Meteorological Agency.