Japan electricity prices in the wholesale markets wallowed in the week to May 15 on anemic demand. Based on the Rim Power Index (Day ahead 24 hours), the weekday power prices in the eastern market, including Hokkaido, Tohoku and Tokyo area, averaged out at 5.91 yen per kilowatt hour (kWh), down 1.71 yen/kWh or 22.4 % from the week ended May 1 that was the eve of Japan's long holiday period, dubbed Golden Week, meanwhile prices in the western, made up of the Chubu, Hokuriku, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu area, at 3.11 yen/kWh, down 0.45 yen/kWh, or 12.6%. 8 areas other than Tokyo experienced a slew of the lowest 0.01 yen/kWh units (one unit=30 minutes) on the Japan Electricity Power Exchange (JEPX).

Power demand was drained by double whammy: economic repercussions of new coronavirus and seasonally comfortable weather conditions. Temperatures inclined to reach the near summer levels but, lacked sustainability and humidity to increase significantly electricity demand for air-conditioning equipment. Relatively wide drop for nighttime prices was a common denominator among nine areas, which implicates that base and middle load capacity was too much.

The minus premium of Hokkaido to Tokyo widened to 1.28 yen/kWh from 0.16 yen/kWh observed in the pre-long holiday week, with Hokkaido's average 5.00 yen/kWh (previous week's ave:7.46 yen) and Tokyo's 6.28 yen/kWh (7.62 yen), which are reckoned in conformity to data compiled by the JEPX. Hokkaido prices often move at higher levels than other areas especially in the winter season. Tohoku's average also fell to 5.02 yen/kWh below Tokyo as electricity flow volume from Tohoku to Tokyo declined due to maintenance works at a major connection line.

Kansai's weekly average slid by 0.46 yen/kWh to 3.12 yen/kWh, and Kyushu's fell by 0.46 yen/kWh to 3.01 yen/kWh. The difference of the two areas stood at 0.11 yen/kWh equaling to the pre-long holiday week. Kansai area is the biggest market in the western Japan, and Kyushu's prices are apt to move at less expensive levels alongside of other areas.

On JEPX, the weekday average of System Price (Day ahead 24 hours), which were figured based on the data of 9 areas, tumbled by 1.27 yen/kWh or 24.7% to 3.88 from the previous week's 5.15 yen/kWh, with the average volume standing at 694,165 megawatts hour (MWh) compared to 681,499 MWh seen in the pre-long holiday week.

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