Japan's Hokuriku Elec takes back-up steps after Malaysia LNG disruption

Hokuriku Electric Power Co

18/11/2022 10:30

TOKYO, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Japan's Hokuriku Electric
Power Co  9505.T  is taking back-up measures after a disruption
in supplies of Malaysian liquefied natural gas (LNG), boosting
stockpiles of other power generation fuels like coal and oil,
its president said on Friday.  
    In October, Malaysian state-run energy firm Petronas
declared force majeure on supply to a liquefaction terminal,
Malaysia LNG Dua, following a pipeline leak caused by soil
movement at the Sabah-Sarawak gas pipeline on Sept. 21.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N31B02Z
    "We are taking various measures like increasing coal and oil
inventories and buying electricity futures in preparation for
any drops in LNG delivery volumes," President Koji Matsuda told
a news conference.
    The Japanese company aimed to ensure there was no impact on
power supply to its customers, he said, adding that it was in
daily contact with the supplier, though he declined to say if
the company had received alternative supplies. 
    Last month, Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura
asked Petronas Chief Executive Tengku Taufik to keep up efforts
to mitigate the impact of the supply disruption on Japanese
customers.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N31T0M9
    Taufik said Petronas would try to blunt the impact on
Japanese customers.
    These include electric utilities which need uninterrupted
supplies as the approaching winter brings a peak in heating
demand, against the backdrop of risks to supply from Russia's
Sakhalin-2 project, amid conflict in Ukraine.
 (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
 ((Yuka.Obayashi@thomsonreuters.com; +813-4520-1265;))