Japan's electricity prices in the wholesale markets held firm in the week ending October 25, propped up by skimpy supply from photovoltaics (PV) stations under grey hued skies. Unlike the week to Oct 18, the Kyushu area in western Japan did not record any 0.01 yen/kWh units (one unit = 30 minutes, 0.01 yen = bottom price under the current system) on the Japan Electric Power Exchange (JEPX) trading.

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 8.82 yen per kilowatt hour (kWh), down 0.02 yen/kWh or 0.2% from the prior week, meanwhile prices in the western, made up of Chubu, Hokuriku, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu area, at 7.61 yen/kWh, up 0.14 yen/kWh, or 1.9%. The disparity between the western average and Kyushu's narrowed to 0.19 yen/kWh from 0.59 yen/kWh with western's 7.61 yen/kWh and Kyushu's 7.42 yen/kWh, which are calculated based on data of JEPX.

In eastern Japan, Tokyo's weather for Oct 21 to 25 were projected to be cloudy or rainy on a day ahead basis, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Western Japan's Osaka and Nagoya were virtually in the same condition as Tokyo. Tokyo's daily maximum temperatures during Oct 21 to 25 were estimated on a day ahead basis at 19 degrees Celsius to 23 deg C versus the prior weekday range of 17 deg C to 22 deg C. Osaka's max temperatures were forecasted at 22 deg C to 25 deg C against the prior range of 22 deg C to 24 deg C.

On the Japan Electric Power Exchange (JEPX), the weekday average of System Price (Day ahead 24 hours), which are computed based on the data of 9 areas, inched up by 0.17 yen/kWh or 2.2% to 8.02 yen/kWh, with the average volume standing at 780,649 practically matching to the prior 779,860 MWh.

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