KaKoo

Mar 18 2011

Japanese Power Company Creates Twitter Account for Nuclear Plant Updates

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has created a Twitter account for its nuclear power plants that were damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

The account has amassed almost 190,000 followers in less than a day. And so far, TEPCO has sent seven tweets, all in Japanese.

The damage to nuclear plants has been a major point of concern, as radiation leaks and the threat of a major nuclear meltdown looms. The Twitter feed will be another way to keep Japanese residents, and the rest of the world, informed about the plants.

TEPCO says it will use the Twitter account to notify people of power blackouts and radiation leaks. The first tweet warned of blackouts in Tokyo, if electricity use wasn’t reduced, according to AFP. The power company has imposed rolling, three-hour-long blackouts as it attempts to balance electric supply and demand.

Social media has played a vital role in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami. People have used social media sites to find loved ones, and Japan’s prime minister created an English-language Twitter account earlier this week, too.

Here’s a roundup of our coverage of social media and technology as it relates to the events in Japan, and ways you can help: