Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Power Outages in Ishikawa Pref. Expected to Be Resolved by End of This Month

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:56 JST, January 24, 2024

The power supply in earthquake-affected areas of Ishikawa Prefecture is expected to “generally be restored by the end of January, except in some areas [with accessibility or other issues],” Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ken Saito said Tuesday at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting.

About 5,000 households in the Prefecture are still without power three weeks after the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on Jan.1. According to Saito, power is expected to be restored by the end of the month to all areas except where landslides and other factors have impeded accessibility and in areas where residences are severely damaged. There is also a concern that power outages may continue in the coastal areas of Wajima and Suzu due to extensive damage to roads.

“We’ll restore the power supply by conducting sequential work in areas that are difficult to access. Additionally, we’ll ensure power is supplied by deploying power supply vehicles and using other means to address the needs of the affected area,” the minister said.

Hokuriku Electric Power Co. with support from other major power companies has mobilized about 1,000 personnel for restoration efforts and reduced the number of households without power to roughly one-eighth of the peak level.