Japan: when the electricity market gets deregulated!

Mount_komekura_photovoltaic_power_plant (Wikipedia)

“News that 7-Eleven stores in the Kansai region will trade Kansai Electric Power Co.’s electricity in favor of cheaper electricity from Tokyo Electric Power Co. has locals wondering if Kepco’s six-decade monopoly over Kansai’s electricity supply might be ending.

From October, about 1,000 Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd. stores in three Kansai prefectures will purchase their electricity from Tepco. The move comes just months after Kepco raised rates, and Seven-Eleven Japan, noting Tepco’s cheaper fees, made the move to switch utilities.

With deregulation in the smaller users electricity market set to begin next April, giving small businesses and residential customers a wider option of providers, Kepco seems particularly ill-placed to take advantage of the new competitive environment.” (The Japan Times)

It is great to see the positive aspects of the after-2011 period: lower energy consumption in Japan as a result of national saving awareness, wider introduction of renewable energies, enhanced price competition between the market players and utltimately the end of old monopolies! Time to reduce bonuses at Kepco? What do you think? 

Read more from:

Japan: when the electricity market gets deregulated!