Press Release

Press Release

Electricity Generation from Test Operations Begun at Joetsu Thermal Power Station Unit 1-1

December 08, 2011
Chubu Electric Power Co.,Inc.

This is to announce that Chubu Electric Power today arranged the gas turbine of Joetsu Thermal Power Station Unit 1-1, which is currently in test operation, into a power system and began generating electricity from the test operations.

The Joetsu Thermal Power Station uses state-of-the-art combined-cycle power generation with LNG (liquefied natural gas) as fuel. Chubu Electric Power has been building the station to reduce CO2 emissions by achieving Japan's highest thermal efficiency* (the aim is for at least 58%) and to contribute to electricity supply stability in the Nagano Prefecture area.

We estimate that once all the facilities are in operation, increases in the overall thermal efficiency of the thermal power equipment will reduce LNG usage by 600,000 tons per year and CO2 emissions by about 1.6 million tons per year.

Looking ahead to the start of commercial operations at Unit 1-1 in July 2012, we continue to fully verify functionality and safety during test operations and prepare so that our facilities will be able to provide a reliable supply well into the future.

*Thermal efficiency is a figure that expresses the percentage of thermal energy from fuel combustion that is converted into electric energy.

[Overview of the Joetsu Thermal Power Station]

Location

2, Yachiho, Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture

Output

Group No. 1 (Units 1-1 and 1-2)
   1,190 MW (595 MW × 2 blocks)
Group No. 2 (Units 2-1 and 2-2)
   1,190 MW (595 MW × 2 blocks)

Power generation method

Combined-cycle power generation method
(1,300°C class improved gas turbines)

Start of construction

Group No. 1 March 2007
Unit 2-1        April 2008
Unit 2-2        February 2010

Planned start of commercial operations

Unit 1-1        July 2012
Unit 1-2        January 2013
Unit 2-1        July 2013
Unit 2-2        May 2014

Go to the Top of the Page