Winter 2026 Power Supply and Demand Measures
Overview
The Electricity and Gas Industry Committee’s Subcommittee on Building the Next-Generation Electricity and Gas Business Foundation under the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy presented its outlook for electricity supply and demand in winter 2026 and compiled measures. Since a reserve margin of 3% can be secured in every area, no request to conserve electricity will be made. However, citing challenges on the supply side stemming from international conditions, extreme weather, power plant closures, and the concentration of thermal power plants, it decided on supply capacity measures, continuing those implemented last winter.
Key points
- A reserve margin of 3% can be secured in every area, so no request to conserve electricity will be made.
- It decided on supply capacity measures, continuing those from last winter, including a request for power producers to thoroughly implement safety management.
- The measures were compiled by the Subcommittee on Building the Next-Generation Electricity and Gas Business Foundation.
Overview
To ensure thorough measures for electricity supply and demand, the Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission Operators verifies supply and demand during summer and winter, when demand rises. Based on those results, the 7th Subcommittee meeting presented the winter 2026 outlook and compiled measures.
In winter 2026, the reserve margin is expected to reach at least 3% in every area, the minimum required for a stable supply.
Impact
Based on the outlook, no request to conserve electricity will be made this winter.
Details
On the supply side, electricity supply and demand remain uncertain because of a structure vulnerable to natural disasters, resulting from changes in international conditions, extreme weather, the ongoing closure of power plants, and the concentration of thermal power plants along Tokyo Bay and the Pacific coast.
To address these challenges and ensure stable supply and demand this winter, it decided to implement supply capacity measures, continuing those from last winter, including a request for power producers to thoroughly implement safety management.