Energy conservation continues with start of no heat, no cool program

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Robin Stanchak
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Energy conservation measures at Yokota recently increased around base with the start of the no heat, no cool program that began April 18.

Members of the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron began shutting off the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in facilities and residential housing buildings as part of a base-wide program to help reduce energy usage.

The systems will remain off and the air conditioning will not be turned on for the cooling season until May 23, unless the temperature reaches above 72 F between the hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a five consecutive days.

During this timeframe, Yokota's HVAC technicians convert the systems from heating to cooling and also perform preventative maintenance on equipment. This is important because it allows them to work on the systems without interrupting the normal operating schedule.

The no heat, no cool program is especially important at this time because of the current power shortage that is occurring around Japan.

Due to the damage sustained to several power stations in northern Japan following the March 11 earthquake, the Tokyo Electric Power Company has had to redistribute electricity to various areas around the country.

As a result, TEPCO estimates that there will be a 3.3 million kilowatt shortage during the peak summer months of July, August and September.

"Our electricity use is relatively low during the winter and early spring because we utilize fuel oil for heating. It's during the summer that our electricity use spikes because we use it to work the air conditioning," said Mr. Cook.

Individuals are advised to be aware of energy conservation during the peak usage hours in the day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

"During the month following the earthquake, Yokota was able to save approximately 7.4 percent of the average daily kilowatt-hours or the amount of electrical energy used, on average during this time of year," said Chris Cook, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron energy manager.

It is important for everyone to still perform good energy conservation practices, both at work and in our homes, this way we can continue to conserve energy and help the Japanese people as they continue to recover from these events, said Mr. Cook.

According to base officials, the power limitations within the Kanto Plain and northern Japan are expected to be an ongoing challenge for the Government of Japan and have the potential to impact U.S. installations. The central government is currently developing plans to address this issue.

If there is an impact, individuals are asked to be patient and show solidarity with our alliance partners while they continue to recover from the effects of the earthquake and tsunami and resulting power supply shortages.