Heavy costs for Tepco customers

December 30, 2016

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/12/30/business/tepco-customers-shelled-%c2%a52-4-trillion-nuke-related-costs-since-2012-rate-hike/#.WGYVDX2Dmid

Tepco customers shelled out ¥2.4 trillion in nuke-related costs since 2012 rate hike

JIJI

Customers of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. have spent over ¥2.4 trillion to cover its nuclear power-related costs since it raised electricity charges in September 2012, it was learned Thursday.

Such costs include those necessary to maintain nuclear power plants owned by Tepco and to deal with the March 2011 triple meltdown at the company’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

According to materials held by Tepco, the company included ¥601.4 billion in annual nuclear power-related expenses in overall costs when it raised the electricity charges.

The expenses on nuclear power operations include ¥47.2 billion for measures related to the Fukushima plant, including outsourcing radiation control-related work and inspecting and maintaining equipment to handle radioactive water.

The amount also covers the costs of the clerical work of handling applications for damages from people affected by the nuclear disaster, totaling ¥25.9 billion.

Tepco set aside ¥56.7 billion as resources to repay damages that the Japanese government paid on behalf of the company and ¥41.4 billion in depreciation costs for two reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant that have been decommissioned as well as for all the four reactors at the Fukushima No. 2 nuclear plant, which Fukushima Prefecture and others want decommissioned.

The nuclear power-related costs are expected to continue to grow because the company has been unable to carry out its plan to restart any of its reactors. When it raised the electricity charges in September 2012, the company assumed that the share of nuclear power in its overall electricity supply would fall to 7 percent from 22 percent.

Tepco plans to restart two reactors at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Niigata Prefecture. But the fate of the company’s plan is not known yet, partly as the Niigata governor, elected in October, opposes their restart.

The industry ministry plans to have former Tepco customers who have switched to other suppliers shoulder part of Tepco’s nuclear power-related costs, starting as early as fiscal 2020.