Wholesale electricity markets in Japan eked out a modest rebound in the week ended April 3 due to halts at power centers for periodical checkups. 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 7.93 yen per kilowatt hour (kWh), up 0.76 yen/kWh or 10.6 % from the previous week, meanwhile prices in the western, made up of the Chubu, Hokuriku, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu area, at 4.66 yen/kWh, up 0.31 yen/kWh, or 7.1%.

A bunch of electricity power stations came to a standstill for spring-time inspections on April 1, the day one of Japan's new fiscal year. Regarding thermal power plants, eastern total output decreased by about 1,800 megawatts (MW) compared to Mar 31, and western by roughly 5,800 MW, providing a footing in the wholesale electricity markets. On the other hand, weak demand for electricity weighed on the markets because the coronavirus depressed economic activities in Japan.

The price gap between Hokkaido and Tokyo shrank to 0.23 yen/kWh from the prior week's 2.97 yen/kWh, with Hokkaido's average 8.09 yen/kWh (previous week's ave:9.99 yen) and Tokyo's 7.86 yen/kWh (7.02 yen), which are reckoned in conformity to data compiled by the Japan Electric Power Exchange (JEPX). Hokkaido prices often move at higher levels than other areas especially in the winter season, but temperatures in Sapporo, Hokkaido's biggest city, rose to higher levels than normal, shedding electricity usage for heating significantly. In the week, prices in Tohoku, where prices usually show a marked tendency to keep the same moves at the same levels as Tokyo, fell below the eastern neighbor in the week, with its average of 7.64 yen/kWh (6.54 yen/kWh).

Kansai's weekly average clawed back by 0.28 yen/kWh to 4.69 yen/kWh, and Kyushu's firmed up by 0.44 yen/kWh to 4.49 yen/kWh. The difference of two areas narrowed to 0.20 yen/kWh from 0.36 yen/kWh recorded in the prior week. Kansai area is the largest market in the western Japan, and Kyushu's prices are inclined to hover 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, climbed back by 0.70 yen/kWh or 12.9% to 6.13 yen/kWh from the previous week's 5.43 yen/kWh, with the average volume increasing a shred to 815,393 megawatt hour (MWh) from 805,196 MWh recorded in the prior week.