Kansai to Enter Gas Retailing Business in Japan

Kansai Electric Power is expected to enter natural gas retailing business in Japan.

Company’s President Makoto Yagi told The Nikkei that it will start selling natural gas to residential customers when Japan's retail market is liberalized in April 2017. The liberalizing process in expected to commence in April this year.

"We will enter the business with competitive pricing," Yagi told The Nikkei, indicating that the company may offer cheaper prices than Osaka Gas for heavy users.

Kansai plans to use its large procurement capacity to secure supplies for retail sale cost-effectively by working with international energy giants. The utility imported 9.44 million tons of LNG in fiscal 2014, more than the 8.07 million tons imported by Osaka Gas.