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, also known as or TEPCO, is a Japanese electric utility servicing Japan's Kantō region, Yamanashi Prefecture, and the eastern portion of Shizuoka Prefecture. This area includes Tokyo. Its headquarters are located in Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and international branch offices exist in Washington, D.C., and London. It is a founding member of strategic consortiums related to energy innovation and research; such as JINED,〔(Japanese nuclear exports consortium launches )〕 INCJ〔(INCJ founding members )〕 and MAI.〔(MAI consortium members )〕 In 2007, TEPCO was forced to shut the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant after the Niigata-Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake. That year it posted its first loss in 28 years.〔(Tokyo Electric Has First Loss in 28 Years on Shutdown )〕 Corporate losses continued until the plant reopened in 2009.〔(Tokyo Electric stays in red in FY 2008 )〕 Following the March 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, its power plant at Fukushima Daiichi was the site of a continuing nuclear disaster, one of the world's most serious. TEPCO could face ¥ ($) in special losses in the current business year to March 2012, and the Japanese government plans to put TEPCO under effective state control to guarantee compensation payments to the people affected by the accident. The Fukushima disaster displaced 50,000 households in the evacuation zone because of leaks of radioactive materials into the air, soil and sea. In July 2012 TEPCO received ¥1 trillion from the Japanese government. TEPCO's management subsequently made a proposal to its shareholders for the company to be part-nationalized. The total cost of the disaster was estimated at $100bn in May 2012.〔 ==History== Japan's nine electric companies, including TEPCO were established in 1951 with the end of the state-run electric industry regime for national wartime mobilization.〔Today, Japan has 10 regional electric companies, including Okinawa electric power. But Okinawa was occupied by US until 1972.〕〔Martin, Alex, "(When it comes to mighty TEPCO, pride goes before the fall )", ''Japan Times'', 17 May 2011, p. 3.〕 In the 1950s, the company's primary goal was to facilitate a rapid recovery from the infrastructure devastation of World War II. After the recovery period, the company had to expand its supply capacity to catch up with the country's rapid economic growth by developing fossil fuel power plants and a more efficient transmission network. In the 1960s and 1970s, the company faced the challenges of increased environmental pollution and oil shocks. TEPCO began addressing environmental concerns through expansion of its LNG fueled power plant network as well as greater reliance on a 'deal with the devil'()- nuclear generation. The first nuclear unit at the Fukushima Dai-ichi (Fukushima I) nuclear power plant began operational generation on March 26, 1971. During the 1980s and 1990s, the widespread use of air-conditioners and IT/OA appliances resulted a gap between day and night electricity demand. In order to reduce surplus generation capacity and increase capacity utilization, TEPCO developed pumped storage hydroelectric power plants and promoted thermal storage units. Recently, TEPCO is expected to play a key role in achieving Japan's targets for reduced carbon dioxide emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. It also faces difficulties related to the trend towards deregulation in Japan's electric industry as well as low power demand growth. In light of these circumstances, TEPCO launched an extensive sales promotion campaign called 'Switch!', promoting all-electric housing in order to both achieve the more efficient use of its generation capacity as well as erode the market share of gas companies. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tokyo Electric Power Company」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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