Sony’s Japan offices could be taking an extended vacation this summer to conserve energy in an increasingly power-desperate nation.
The people and nation of Japan have started the long and arduous process of rebuilding their country after the devastating Tohoku Earthquake last month, but things aren’t completely out of the woods yet. The damage the earthquake dealt to Japan’s power plants – particularly the crisis at Fukushima – have resulted in a nation increasingly strapped for energy.
To do its part (and presumably reduce costs), Sony Japan will be complying with the government’s energy-saving targets and exhortations for large corporations and manufacturers to reduce their power consumption. The electronics giant is considering a plan that will rearrange its holiday schedule, moving two weeks’ worth of holidays into the middle of the summer, when power consumption will be at its peak thanks to it being really friggin’ hot.
Sony has also considered moving its work hours of operation earlier “to cut electricity usage on a day-to-day basis as well,” representative George Boyd told the Beeb. Sony employees will be expected to make up their sudden summer vacation later in the year, when the nation’s power situation is hopefully in a better state.
However, despite previous comments from Sony that the Tohoku Earthquake would not delay its new NGP, it’s hard to envision a situation where a two-week shutdown wouldn’t stall the NGP launch – if only for a couple of weeks.
