LNG consumption by 24 energy firms generating power from gas-fired units amounted to 3.8 million mt in April, and these firms procured 4.2 million mt of LNG in April, data from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed.
At the end of April, LNG stocks held by these firms totaled 2.4 million mt, according to the data.
METI changed the way it releases fuel procurement and consumption data due to changes in the utilities' structures and ongoing reform within the domestic power market.
The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan also stopped producing the fuel data of 10 major Japanese power utilities as it became difficult to compile data with the liberalization of the domestic retail electricity market.
The 24 power generation firms include Tepco Fuel & Power Inc, Kyushu Electric, and Chubu Electric but also other newcomers such as Osaka Gas and Ohgishima Power, a joint venture between Tokyo Gas and Show Shell Sekiyu.
The data also showed that there are a total 27 firms owning between them 55 gas-fired units with capacity of 77.392 GW in Japan.
In April 28.35 billion kWh of power was generated by gas-fired units, according to the data.
