JR East Struggles To Find Alternative Power Source

Ouch. Asahi notes that East Japan Railway Co. has halted operations at its Miyanaka hydropower plant in Niigata Prefecture as it was illegally using too much river water. JR East is searching for alternative power sources but says the number of trains running in the capital could be reduced:

The plant, capable of generating 450,000 kilowatts of electricity, supplied 23 percent of the power used by JR East, including that for its main lines in the Tokyo metropolitan area... [JR East President Satoshi] Seino acknowledged the company is now "walking a tightrope" in securing the necessary power to keep all of the lines operating. He said the company cannot rule out the possibility that the shutdown at the plant could affect train operations.


The 367-kilometer Shinanogawa in Niigata is Japan's longest with one of the largest total water flow. If you live in Niigata, you will be very familiar with this river, which flows from Saitama all the way up north across Honshu to central Niigata City. At midstream, nearly all the water is used for power generation at Miyanaka Dam and the Nishi-Otaki Dam, which is operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co.

JR East is already considering reduced services in preparation for power shortages, including the busy Yamanote and Chuo lines in Tokyo. If you live in central Tokyo, this summer could get really bad. Again, a reminder how fragile our current way of life really is.



List of Hydroelectric powerplants in Japan with photos

Satellite images of Niigata Rivers from JAXA

Official website of the Shinano River Work Office (In English, with history, maps and lots of data)

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