Wholesale power markets in Japan were mixed in the short week ending January 17 due to the national holiday of Jan 13, with east market's whisker-thin drop and western modest gain. The difference in the market tone was ascribable partially to temperatures. 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 8.66 yen per kilowatt hour (kWh), down 0.14 yen/kWh or 1.6% from the prior week, meanwhile prices in the western, made up of Chubu, Hokuriku, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu area, at 8.30 yen/kWh, up 0.61 yen/kWh, or 7.9%.

The premium of Hokkaido against Tokyo shrank to 0.87 yen/kWh from the previous week's 2.18 yen/kWh, with Hokkaido's average 9.46 yen/kWh (previous week's ave:10.79 yen) and Tokyo's 8.59 yen/kWh (8.62 yen), which are calculated from data compiled by the Japan Electric Power Exchange. More supply from power plants except photovoltaic (PV) stations seemed to drive the Hokkaido market down under grey skies. But, in Tokyo, downward pressures on prices from weak demand amid relatively warm temperatures were cancelled out by poor supply from PV.

Kansai's weekly average logged at 8.35 yen/kWh, gaining 0.45 yen/kWh because of more demand amid lower temperatures, combined with cloudy skies. For example, Osaka's daily maximum temperatures for Jan 17 were estimated at 8 degrees Celsius on a day ahead basis, versus Tokyo's 10 deg C. Colder temperatures probably push up Kyushu prices higher. Kyushu's average went up to 8.11 yen/kWh from 6.74 yen/kWh recorded in the prior week. Daily max temperatures in Fukuoka, the largest city in the Kyushu area, were projected at 9 deg C for Jan 15 (12 deg C in Tokyo), at 10 deg C for Jan 16 (11 deg C), and at 9 deg C for Jan 17 (10 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, climbed by 0.32 yen/kWh to 8.37 yen/kWh, with the average volume growing by 19.748 megawatt per hour(MWh) to 911,425 MWh.

Rim Power Report (English Language Version) click

＊RIM Power Report: Sample (English Language Version) click