節電の夏 発想の転換で危機乗り切ろう

いまさらながら、原発の発電力の威力を感じました。
原発はやはり、悪魔の贈り物なのかもしれませんね。
（スラチャイ）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jun. 14, 2011)
Overcome power shortages with a new perspective
節電の夏　発想の転換で危機乗り切ろう（6月12日付・読売社説）

It is feared that power shortages could occur in many parts of the nation this summer.
　今夏は全国で電力不足が懸念される。

We hope every company and household will find ways to save electricity and deal with the summer heat.
企業や家庭で節電を工夫し、暑い夏を乗り切りたい。

Starting July 1, the government is set to impose power-use restrictions in areas serviced by Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Tohoku Electric Power Co.
　政府は、東京電力と東北電力の管内で、７月１日から大規模な工場やビルなどを対象に電力制限を実施する。

The scheme will target such facilities as large factories and buildings, all of which will be required to reduce their power consumption by 15 percent from last summer's peak levels.
電力使用量を昨夏のピーク時より１５％削減しなければならない。

Similar action will be taken by Kansai Electric Power Co., which will ask private-sector companies and ordinary households to cut their electricity consumption by 15 percent.
　関西電力も企業や家庭に１５％節電を要請する。

This is because the utility remains unsure about when--and if, for that matter--it will be able to restart operations at reactors closed for regular inspections.
定期検査中の原発の再稼働が見通せないためだ。

Other power companies could follow suit, asking consumers to save electricity.
　他の電力会社にも、同じ動きが広がる可能性がある。

These moves may well be regarded as inevitable, given the need to prevent a shortage of power this summer.
電力不足を避けるためにはやむを得ない。

One challenge facing corporations will be to efficiently use a limited amount of electricity, a task essential to minimize the impact of power-saving efforts on their business operations.
　企業は、限られた電力をいかに効率的に使い、経営への影響を最小限に抑えるかが問われよう。

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Firms already taking action

It is reassuring to know that some companies have already come out with power-saving measures.
　早くも節電対策が打ち出されているのは心強い。

Automobile and electronics manufacturers, for example, have decided to suspend operations at their plants on weekdays instead of weekends.
自動車や電機メーカーなどは、工場の休業日を平日に変更する。

Power-saving steps adopted by these companies include replacing their lighting with light-emitting diode devices that require less electricity.
　電力消費の少ない発光ダイオード（ＬＥＤ）照明への切り替え、

They will also lengthen summer vacations and utilize daylight saving time, a measure to move up the time employees start work.
夏休みの長期化、社員の就業時間を早めるサマータイムの導入など様々な取り組みがみられる。

Admittedly, reductions in power consumption will place most of the burden on the corporate sector.
　節電は企業に負担を強いるが、

Put another way, however, saving electricity could lead to an increase in companies' operational efficiency. 発想を転換すれば、効率経営を進めるきっかけになりうる。

Changes in the way company employees work could eventually reduce their working hours and improve the efficiency of their employers' business operations.
就業形態の見直しは、労働時間の短縮や業務の効率化などにつながる。

Power-saving efforts could also provide new business opportunities.
　新たなビジネスチャンスとしても期待できるだろう。

This has been demonstrated by the rapid rise in sales of LED lamps and energy-saving air conditioners in recent weeks, for example.
ＬＥＤ電球や省エネ型エアコンなどの売り上げが急増し、

Also, the food service and hotel industries are offering various new services for employees whose companies will try to reduce power use through such measures as letting them leave work earlier than before.
退社時間の早まる会社員らを狙った外食やホテルなどの新サービスも相次いでいる。

We hope the economy will be revitalized as a result of new types of consumption that are generated by products and services catering to demand created by power-saving efforts.
　節電特需を取り込んだ商品やサービスで新たな消費を掘り起こし、経済を活性化させたい。


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Everyone must pitch in

It is disturbing to see that the anticipated power shortages will affect a wide area, meaning households, companies and others in nearly all parts of the nation will have to implement power-saving measures.
　気がかりなのは、電力不足が広域に及ぶため、ほぼ全国で節電対策を迫られそうなことだ。

For instance, corporations with manufacturing bases in Tokyo and adjacent areas are likely to reconsider their initial plans to shift their production activities to western parts of the country.
　首都圏などに拠点のある企業が当初検討していた西日本への生産移転は、見直すことになろう。

These companies should think about what kind of production system would best suit them, keeping in mind the estimate for this summer's power supply and demand.
電力需給を踏まえ、最適な生産体制を検討すべきだ。

It is also indispensable for households to cooperate in saving electricity, given that they account for 30 percent of this nation's total power consumption.
　電力消費の３割を占める家庭の協力も欠かせない。

Households in the areas serviced by the Tokyo and Tohoku electric power companies should take this to heart. They are not obligated to reduce electric consumption, but we hope these consumers will raise their awareness of the need to cut wasteful power consumption as much as possible.
　東電、東北電管内でも、家庭は節電を義務付けられていないが、極力無駄な電力を使わない節電意識を高めてもらいたい。

There are various ways for them to easily save electricity--for example, raising air conditioners' preset temperatures and turning off the master power switches for electrical appliances.
エアコンの設定温度を上げたり、家電の主電源を切ったりするなど簡単にできることは多いはずだ。

TEPCO is planning to shore up its "denki yoho" system, through which the utility releases such information as the daily balance between power supply and demand, and the forecasted demand.
　東電は、日々の需給状況や見通しなどを示す「でんき予報」を拡充する。

The system is certain to help companies and households save electricity efficiently.
企業や家庭が効率的に節電するのに役立つだろう。

TEPCO and all other utilities need to keep providing power consumers with detailed information about the status of its electric power supply.
電力各社は、きめ細かい情報発信を続ける必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 12, 2011)
（2011年6月12日00時57分 読売新聞）