Japan to set up emergency gas power stations in 60 parks across Tokyo

Dozens of large-scale gas power stations are to be set up in "disaster management parks" across Tokyo to provide electricity for the capital in emergencies.

the Telegraph,

28 November, 2011

Tokyo Metropolitan Government is planning to set up 60 large-scale gas power stations in emergency parks across the city to ensure sufficient energy supplies for public facilities in times of crisis.

The initiative was prompted by the serious power shortages which faced residents, businesses and public facilities in Tokyo in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis earlier this year.

In addition to housing large-scale gas power stations, the new disaster management parks are also expected to be home to emergency shelters and operate as bases for the delivery and collection of relief supplies.

The government's decision to depend on gas supplies in an emergency was due to resilience proven by middle-pressure gas pipes in previous major earthquakes including the most recent disaster.

"From next fiscal year from April we are planning to conduct a feasibility study and will decide then in which parks in Tokyo we will set up gas power stations," a spokesman for the urban energy promotion department of Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Environment Bureau told the Telegraph.

"We want to use low carbon dioxide emission generators for this project. We will examine the type of generator in the feasibility study.

"Tokyo Gas Co also told us that large scale gas pipes would not be destroyed in large earthquakes and gas supplies would not be stopped in such a situation.

The Fukushima nuclear crisis triggered by the March 11 disaster caused severe disruption to the capital, with rolling blackouts, train suspensions and energy shortages causing extensive limitations to business production and daily life.