TEPCO to promote renewables in Fukushima Pref.

January 9, 2015

TEPCO to provide more support for renewable energy

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html

Jan. 9, 2015 - Updated 10:19 UTC+1

Tokyo Electric Power Company says it will support Fukushima Prefecture's plan to promote renewable energy as a pillar of reconstruction from the 2011 disaster and nuclear accident.

TEPCO President Naomi Hirose met economy minister Yoichi Miyazawa on Friday. Hirose said his utility will make efforts to fulfill its responsibility as the company that caused the accident.

Hirose said the utility will renovate a seldom-used transformer substation near the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant so it can buy electricity generated from renewable energy sources in the prefecture.

The president of Tohoku Electric Power Company, Makoto Kaiwa, was also at the meeting.

Kaiwa said his company will preferentially buy electricity generated in former evacuation zones in the prefecture.

The utility's service area covers mainly northeastern Japan, including Fukushima and two other prefectures worst-hit by the disaster.

Economy minister Miyazawa said the government will allocate funds to buy battery cells and transmission lines in the draft extra budget for this fiscal year to help introduce green energy sources.