LNG Consumption in Japan Reaches Record High in April

Japan's 10 utility companies, with no more nuclear power to turn to, burned natural gas to a record high in April this year compared to a year ago.

Data from the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan showed the country used up a record 4.56 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG), a jump of 33 per cent versus the same period a year ago.

The corresponding electricity generated from the consumption totaled 70.99 billion kilowatt-hours, up 2.7 per cent from April in 2010.

Data further showed that the consumption of fuel oil as well as crude oil escalated to a colossal 235 per cent to 497,000 barrels per day compared from a year ago.

For 42 years, atomic power helped secure a stable energy generation for Japan at it supplied 30 per cent of the country's energy demand. But the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant crisis in 2011 demolished the public's faith in this type of energy mix, to the point of even rejecting the restart of nuclear reactors that have passed routine inspections.

Although it has no plans to permanently exit from the use of nuclear energy, Japan is working on diversifying its energy mix. Its 10 utility companies have resorted to using coal, oil and gas-fired plants to electricity steadily supplied to factories, offices and households.

David Knox, chief executive officer of Australian firm Santos, had earlier said the 10 Japanese utilities will increase demand for LNG by about 10 per cent for the next three or four years.