Power and Gas Discount Ends: November Bills Up ¥2,030

The short answer: a standard household's November bill rises by about ¥1,900-2,000 a month for power and gas

* Average-model bills published by each company on 29 September 2026. The totals are this site's sums. TEPCO's November figure applies the revised rates for the whole month; the actual bill is prorated between old and new rates[Kansai Electric (in Japanese)][Osaka Gas (in Japanese)].

Of the ¥2,030 increase, ¥1,330 is the lost discount. The other roughly ¥700 comes from the wheeling-charge revision and fuel prices. Even if the discount returns, that ¥700 stays.

The discount rates and when they ended: September usage (October reading) was the last

This summer's support lasted only three months. The discount was the same nationwide, and power and gas companies deducted it from bills automatically[METI, 12 June 2026 (in Japanese)].

• It was funded with ¥513.5 billion from the FY2026 reserve fund. The government said a standard household would save about ¥5,000 over the three months[ANRE, outline of the support (in Japanese)].
• It covered households and businesses with annual gas contracts under 10 million ㎥. No application was needed.
• Propane (LP gas) was not covered[Electricity and gas support website (in Japanese)].

How the discount was restarted, and how businesses book it, is covered in the restart of the electricity and gas discount.

By usage: a 300kWh household loses ¥1,050 a month from the discount alone

The lost discount is the unit rate times your usage. The more you use, the bigger the November jump.

* This site's estimate. The fuel cost adjustment uses the change in TEPCO's rate excluding the discount (¥0.47/kWh). The wheeling-charge revision is not included.

The key is to use the amount you used in October, not your August or September figures.

November bills at the ten major power companies: nine of the ten rise by ¥1,200-1,600

On 29 September the ten major companies announced their November fuel cost adjustments. All of them go up from October. Besides the end of the discount, nine of them pass on higher wheeling charges from 1 November.

* Average models for each company's metered lighting plan (published 29 September 2026). Tohoku is this site's estimate from the change in the adjustment rate (+¥3.85/kWh) and the revision amount. Sources are listed at the end.

At most companies, 60-70% of the increase is the lost discount.

• End of the discount: ¥910 at 260kWh (¥805 at 230kWh, ¥875 at 250kWh)
• Wheeling-charge revision: reflects higher grid investment and labour costs, approved by the government on 4 September[Tohoku Electric, 28 September (in Japanese)]
• Fuel cost adjustment: set by fuel import prices for June to August. The regulated rates at Kansai and Kyushu have hit their cap
• Renewable energy surcharge: ¥4.18/kWh in FY2026, the same in October and November[METI, surcharge rate (in Japanese)]

City gas for the November reading: all three majors rise by ¥550-750

The discount also disappears from city gas bills from the November reading. Tokyo Gas's standard household pays ¥744 more, more than half of it the lost discount. The rest comes from higher feedstock prices and the tariff revision of 1 October[Tokyo Gas, reference material (in Japanese)].

* Standard-household bills published by each company on 29 September 2026[Toho Gas (in Japanese)].

Many households use far more gas in winter, so the gap widens from December.

What to look for on your statement: the "support" line simply disappears

On the November statement, the discount line is gone. Check these three things.

1. Look at the usage period. If it starts from your October reading date (say mid-October to mid-November), it is a bill without the discount.
2. Find the line for the electricity and gas support or government discount. Up to the October bill it showed a negative amount.
3. Check the sign of the fuel cost adjustment rate. The discount was deducted from that rate, so October's rate looks strongly negative.

Direct debits come about a month after the reading, and some households pay the November reading in December. In your household accounts, line things up by reading month, not debit date.

No application was needed, so nothing needs doing now it has ended. Ignore calls or emails asking for personal details or fees "to receive the discount".

Who these estimates do not fit, and points to watch

The figures above are models for the major companies' regulated rates with the same usage every month. These households will see a different change.

• New power retailers: the discount was applied to their plans too. How much they rise from November depends on each company's fuel adjustment and how it passes on wheeling charges.

Winter discount: resumes for December to February usage

On 29 October the government decided to resume the power and gas discount for three months, from December 2026 usage to February 2027 usage. Low-voltage power gets ¥1.0/kWh in December and ¥4.5 in January and February; city gas gets ¥4/㎥ in December and ¥18 in January and February. March usage is undecided[Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, support overview (in Japanese)]. The discount first appears on the January meter reading, so the November and December readings stay undiscounted. Rates and discounts by usage are in the winter power and gas discount.

• Last winter, January and February usage got ¥4.5/kWh and March usage ¥1.5/kWh[TEPCO EP, list of fuel cost adjustment rates (in Japanese)].
• Last year, October to December usage also had no discount. This year's April to June usage was likewise a gap.

Money matters changing in 2027 are listed in what changes in 2027, and October's changes in what changes from October 2026. The petrol subsidy is explained in inside the petrol subsidy.

What households can do: check your contract, plan and local support

There is no way to win back the whole discount. But there is room to review your contract and plan.

• Review your contract amperage: in Hokkaido, Tohoku, Tokyo, Chubu, Hokuriku and Kyushu, the basic charge on metered lighting plan B depends on amperage. See whether you can lower it without tripping the breaker.
• Compare plans: enter the usage from your statement into each company's price simulator. Be wary of winter price spikes on market-linked plans.
• Look for local support: some municipalities use national grants to help propane households and households exempt from resident tax. Check your city office's notices for "utility costs" or "LP gas".

Benefits and reductions for households exempt from resident tax are set out in the list of benefits for tax-exempt households. For the big picture on raising take-home pay, see our take-home pay guide.

Summary

• Electricity and gas subsidies end with September usage (billed based on October meter readings).
• TEPCO's average model household (260 kWh) sees its bill rise ¥1,286, from ¥8,275 in October to ¥9,561 in November.
• Tokyo Gas's standard household (30 cubic meters) rises ¥744, from ¥5,744 to ¥6,488, for a combined increase of about ¥2,030 a month.
• Of the increase, ¥1,330 comes from the end of the subsidy. The remaining roughly ¥700 is from factors such as revised wheeling charges, and will not revert even if the subsidy resumes.
• The winter discount resumes for December 2026 to February 2027 usage and first appears on the January meter reading.

References (sources)

• METI, special approval for the electricity and gas discount (12 June 2026) (in Japanese)
• ANRE, electricity and gas support website (in Japanese)
• ANRE, support for energy prices (in Japanese) and outline of the support (PDF, in Japanese)
• METI, FY2026 renewable energy surcharge rate (in Japanese)
• TEPCO EP, November 2026 fuel cost adjustment (in Japanese)
• Kansai Electric, November 2026 fuel cost adjustment (in Japanese)
• Chubu Electric Miraiz, November 2026 fuel cost adjustment (in Japanese)
• Hokkaido Electric, November 2026 fuel cost adjustment (in Japanese)
• Tohoku Electric, fuel cost adjustment rates (in Japanese) and revision for wheeling charges (in Japanese)
• Hokuriku Electric, November 2026 fuel cost adjustment (in Japanese)
• Chugoku Electric, November 2026 fuel cost adjustment (in Japanese)
• Shikoku Electric, November 2026 fuel cost adjustment (in Japanese)
• Kyushu Electric, November 2026 fuel cost adjustment (in Japanese)
• Okinawa Electric, November 2026 fuel cost adjustment (in Japanese)
• Tokyo Gas, gas rates for the November 2026 reading (in Japanese)
• Osaka Gas, gas rates for November 2026 (in Japanese)
• Toho Gas, gas rates for the November 2026 reading (in Japanese)

* The usage table and totals are this site's rough calculations from the companies' published figures. This article is general information. For your own bill, check your power or gas company's statement or contact centre.