Summer blackouts loom for Japan's economic heartland

[jpak]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/22/japan-electricity-idUSL3E7EM0JN20110322?pageNumber=2

The magnitude-9.0 earthquake, Japan's biggest on record, and the tsunami it triggered knocked out 5,800 megawatts (MW)of thermal power that was in operation at three big Tokyo Electric power plants.

It also shut its two Fukushima nuclear plants, with about 9,100 MW of capacity including units that were shut for maintenance, and the accident that followed may well render the plants unusable after the release of radioactivity.

The thermal power units that are coming back online are helping, but may not be enough.

"It is certainly better than it was. It was looking like it could be a lot worse, but things are coming back online," said Pictet's Perry.

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[kristopher]

1. This they will manage. nt