中国電力、家庭向け値上げへ　大手初、各社追随も

　中国電力は１３日、家庭向けの規制料金を含むすべての電気料金について、値上げを検討すると発表した。ロシアによるウクライナ侵攻などで火力発電用の液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）や石炭の価格高騰が続いているため。国の認可が必要な規制料金の値上げ検討を表明したのは、電力大手１０社で初めて。今後、各社が追随する可能性がある。
　中国電が規制料金の値上げを実施すれば、第２次オイルショックの影響を受けた１９８０年以来、４２年ぶり。広島市内で記者会見した滝本夏彦社長は、「企業努力で対応できる限界を大きく超えている」と理解を求めた。規制料金の値上げには経済産業省の認可が必要で、値上げの妥当性を判断する審査は申請から通常４カ月程度かかる。（2022/09/13-19:59）

Chugoku Electric Power Co. said Tuesday that it will consider increasing its electricity rates, including those for households, amid soaring prices for liquefied natural gas and coal against a backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
   Among Japan's 10 major power utilities, Chugoku Electric was the first to declare a plan to consider raising regulatory rates for households. Other utilities may follow suit.
   If Chugoku Electric decides to raise regulatory rates, it will be the first hike since 1980.
   The current situation of surging costs is "far beyond the limits of what corporate efforts can deal with," Chugoku Electric President Natsuhiko Takimoto said at a press conference in the western city of Hiroshima.
   A hike in regulatory power rates requires approval from the industry ministry. The screening process to assess the appropriateness of a price increase usually takes about four months after application.