Latest News

Japan's JERA suspends output at 4 gas-fired power plants to protect LNG stocks

Japan's greatest power generator JERA said on Friday it has suspended production at four of its gasfired power stations and cut output at another plant from Wednesday to Friday to secure enough liquefied natural gas (LNG) stock.

The relocation comes as a recent drop in temperature levels in the Tokyo area improved power demand while rainy weather condition caused hold-ups in the arrival of LNG freights, causing a drop in LNG stock levels, a JERA spokesperson stated.

Operations were momentarily suspended at power plants in Futtsu, Yokohama, Kawasaki and Chiba, all near Tokyo, and curtailed at Higashi-Ohgishima.

Since stormy weather condition was also anticipated for the latter half of this week, we have actually chosen to carry out organized blackouts and curtailment, the representative stated.

However JERA, among the world's greatest LNG purchasers, prepares to bring the plants back to normal operations from Saturday, he stated.

LNG storage levels at significant utilities stood at 1.95 million metric tons as of March 3, down 15% from the start of February and below the five-year average of 2.13 million lots, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry data revealed.

Storage levels fell further to 1.52 million loads since March 24, according to the data launched on Wednesday, the lowest given that February 2022, Rystad Energy's Senior Expert Masanori Odaka said in a note.