Are Japanese utilities exaggerating claims about energy shortfalls from nuclear shutdowns?

[kristopher]

The utilities, together with the industry ministry have predicted dire consequences if all nuclear plants are shut down. It seems PM Kan believes they have been playing fast and loose with the facts and he has taken steps to put them on a short lease.
I'm more impressed with Kan every day.


Panel's power-shortage estimate at odds with industry ministry's warning
2011/07/28
A panel directed by a distrustful Prime Minister Naoto Kan calculated expected power shortages next summer that run counter to the industry ministry's warnings of blackouts if all nuclear reactors are shut down.
The National Policy Unit estimates that power supply will fall short of demand by a maximum 16.56 gigawatts, or 9.2 percent, during peak usage next summer if all 54 reactors in Japan are shut down in May next year.
...Under Kan's directive, the National Policy Unit recently took the unusual step of instructing the industry ministry to disclose all relevant information on supply and demand of power.
...The ministry also estimated that private-run electric generators in areas covered by nine regional electric power companies, except Okinawa Electric Power Co., have a total supply capacity of 53.73 gigawatts, of which only 1.62 gigawatts can be counted as vendible "power reserves."...

Much more at: http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201107270427.html