FOUNDATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES I A Social History of Science and Technology in Contemporary Japan

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1 FOUNDATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES I A Social History of Science and Technology in Contemporary Japan THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY ; ROAD TO SELF-RELIANCE Dwi Andi Listiawan

2 History of Japan s Electric Power Company March 1878 : Electricity was first used in Japan at the Institute of Technology in Toranomon 1886 : Tokyo Electric Lighting, a private company, commenced operations as the nation s first electric power company, and began supplying electricity to the public in the following year : Use of electricity grew primarily for lighting because of its safety and cleanness, and gradually found broader applications as a power source to replace the steam engine 1896 : the number of electric utilities established throughout the nation reached 33 Early 20 th century : the establishment of long-distance transmission technology : As larger thermal and hydro power plants were introduced, generation costs fell and electricity came into wider use throughout the country. Consequently, electricity became an indispensable energy source for peoples lives and industry 1918 ~ : Restructuring 700 electric utilities, which merged to create 5 major electric utilities During WWII : the electric utility industry was completely state-controlled and utilities were integrated into Nihon Hatsusoden Co. (a nationwide power generating and transmitting state-owned company) and nine distribution companies : Supply and demand for electricity remained very tight in Japan. A series of intense discussions were held on restructuring the electric utility industry as one of the measures for democratizing the economy. As a result, nine regional privately owned and managed General Electricity Utilities Hokkaido, Tohoku, Tokyo, Chubu, Hokuriku, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu Electric Power Companies were established in 1951 and assumed the responsibility of supplying electricity to each region

3 What Happenned during the Occupation Period ( )? Creation of the Public Utilities Commission (Koueki Jigyou Iinkai) in 15 December 1950 Followed by creation of Nine private regional electric power companies in 1951 The electric power industry moved from direct government control to operations under a new regulatory system The new electricity system was not the product of negotiated consensus by all concerned parties, but rather a unilateral imposition of the restructuring plan proposed by the Nine Haidens and Yasuzaemon Matsunaga (Deputy Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission) by the Japanese Government under GHQ/SCAP coercion The parties on the `losing side` of this dispute did not lose all of their power to shape or influence the electric power industry Many personnel moved from Nippon Hassouden (the Japan electric Generating and Transmission Company) to the new regional power companies. Local goverments, whose demands for a nationwide municipal power distribution system were rejected, revised their objective and began to demand the restoration of municipally managed electric power. Source : Wikipedia

4 ROAD TO SELF-RELIANCE ( ) THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY

5 The Foundation of the EP Industry Central Research Institute A new research institute that was to take over most of the former Hassoden research staff was established immediately after the creation of the nine power company in 1951 Before the reorganization of the industry, a Hydroelectric and Electricity Research institute had been founded within Hassoden in July 1940 and 1942 In the early postwar restructure (1947), these were merged to form the Electric power research laboratory (Denryouku Gijutsu Kenyusho) to carry out electric power technology-related inspection, research, and investigation Research focuses : - Electric Power - Civil Engineering - Thermal Power - Electric Power Application - Chemistry Matsunaga (Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission) recognized the important of scientific research in the electric power industry and allowed juridically the nine companies to establish Electric Power Research Laboratory in 1951 Source :

6 The Establishment of Federation of Electric Power Companies In 1952, the nine electric power companies established the Federation of Electric Power Companies (FEPC) to promote smooth operations within the industry (Except Okinawa Electric Power)

7 Establishment of the Central Research Institute of the Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) 1951: Research Institute of Electric Technology established 1952: Name of the Institute changed to Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) 1953: The first year of electrification NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) and Nippon Television Network Corporation (NTV) start broadcasting 1958: Subaru 360 automobile introduced Matsunaga requested the establishment of an economic research organization to Matsujiro Oyama (Technical Advisor to PUC) and his plan was successfully drafted on September 1951 In 1952, the nine electric power companies established the Federation of Electric Power Companies (FEPC) to promote smooth operations within the industry (Except Okinawa Electric Power) Drafted plan to establish an economic research organization then was submitted to the Public Utilities Commission as a proposal After discussion at the technology divison of the Comission s secretariat and the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (Denki Jigyo Keieisha Kaigi), the plan was approved by PUC On 31 July 1952, the planned research institute facility was inaugurated as a juridical foundation : The Central Research Institute of the Electric Power Industry

8 Research Focuses at the CRIEPI during 1950 s Research was conducted for improving the quality of electric power by raising the rating of transmission voltage from 154 kv to 275 kv. In order to clarify electrical phenomena that occur in transmission systems, CRIEPI developed AC network analyzers CRIEPI designed an economical hydroelectric dam in order to promote the development of large-scale reservoirs for electric power generation.

9 The Electric Power Industry under the New System 1945 : Power crisis began a few months after the end of WWII and continued ti be problem throughout Japan well into 1950s 1949 : Continually demand from households and reviving industries, accelerated by the Korean War-related special procurement programs, could not be satisfied by the exisisting power plants. : In response, construction of new power plants began at 33 locations producing electricity of total capacity kw with 10 billion yen called Mikaeri-Shikin 1950 : 15 billion yen was added to Mikaeri-Shikin December 1950 : Newly completed facilities were providing kw from hydroelectric and kw of thermal power : Following restructure of the industry, efforts to improve the supply and demand situation continued with specific measures including price review, planning further developments of power generating facilities, and developing a supply and demand

10 Electricity Charges and the Prices of Commodities

11 Components ratio of actual costs

12 Changes in the electric power development plans

13 Change in electricity usage

14 Electric power development plan by the electric power development adjustment council

15 Fund raising for plant construction by nine power companies

16 Developing Hydroelectric Resources (1950s ) Source of pictures

17 Funding details of Denpatsu

18 Changes to power generating capacity

19 Two types of Dam Construction

20 Developing Thermoelectric Power

21 Developing Thermoelectric Power

22 CONCLUSION How to View Postwar Electric Power Industry

23 Major Power Plants in Japan