Japanese power companies consumed 4.46 million tonnes of LNG for power generation in September, down 14.2% from August, as higher hydropower generation helped reduce natural gas use.

They also consumed 9.59 million tonnes of thermal coal in September, down 8.3% from August, while their crude oil consumption rose 7.4% from the previous month to 117,447 kiloliters (24,624 barrels per day), the preliminary data for September from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed.

The utilities generated 82.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in September, the data showed.

The group of 10 former power monopolies, which started publishing monthly data in 1972, stopped compiling power output and demand numbers in April to ensure fair competition after the liberalization of the retail power market.

Hence, the trade ministry's monthly data is the only official data gauging the power statistics.

The trade ministry surveyed only about 20 power firms, including the former 10 monopolies, until the previous fiscal year ended in March, but revised the data significantly since the power sector was fully liberalized for open competition on April 1. The ministry now surveys hundreds of companies that generate power and/or sell it.