Japan's Kyushu Electric nearly triples December-March oil, gas buy

TOKYO: Japanese utility Kyushu Electric Power Co said it would nearly triple the volumes of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) it plans to buy in the peak winter December-March period as all its nuclear plants have been shut following the Fukushima disaster.

The company said it expects to buy oil and LNG equivalent to a total 3.53 million kilolitres (22.2 million barrels) of oil during the period, up from the 1.33 million kl originally slated.

All six reactors at the firm's two nuclear plants have been closed with no definite schedule for restarts.