Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) has requested the Japanese government to grant extra aid of 690 billion yen ($8.8 billion) so that it could cover compensation payments to victims of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant disaster.

Tepco said in a statement that the government's Nuclear Damage Liability Facilitation Fund would seek approval from ministry of Trade & Industry to offer additional support.

A source close to the matter informed that Trade & Industry Minister Yukio Edano would likely approve Tepco's new request as early as January.

The power utility revised its estimates for compensation payments for the Fukushima Daiichi power plant disaster from 1.01 trillion yen to 1.7 trillion yen by March 2013.

Making the announcement, Tepco added, "We have reviewed the estimated sum of compensation after the committee addressing compensation disputes decided on additional measures to compensate victims who voluntarily evacuated."

Tepco has been found at fault for poor communication and delays in releasing data on dangerous radiation leaks at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The March 11 earthquake and the following tsunami knocked out Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant's cooling systems, triggering meltdowns and radiation leaks, which forced as many as 80,000 people to evacuate their homes.