TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese utility behind the nuclear plant hobbled by the March tsunami says electricity bills must go up to cover costs of switching to other forms of power.

Tokyo Electric Power Co., or Tepco, said Thursday the higher bills are needed as it might not be able to stay afloat without the extra cash. It did not give details on prices.

The March 11 tsunami damaged backup generators at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in northeastern Japan, sending three reactors into meltdown and triggering the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.