Initiatives to Expand Wind Power in Central and Western Japan

Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (Chubu Electric Power), Hokuriku Electric Power Company (Hokuriku Electric Power), The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (Kansai Electric Power), The Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc., Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc. (Shikoku Electric Power) and Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. (six Central and Western Japan electric power utilities) have agreed to work together to expand wind power in Central and Western Japan by using inter-area connections.

Specifically, the six Central and Western Japan electric power utilities will set up a basic framework in which utilities without the capacity to adjust for fluctuating output resulting from expanded wind power will secure that adjustment capacity by transmitting power through inter-area connections, thus enabling the installation of more wind power.

One of the first initiatives to take place under the framework will be a roadmap study to determine how to achieve the transmission of electric power from Hokuriku Electric Power and Shikoku Electric Power (which do not have the capacity to adjust for fluctuating output if more wind power is installed) to Chubu Electric Power and Kansai Electric Power (which have relatively large system capacities), which would give Hokuriku Electric Power and Shikoku Electric Power the adjustment capacity they require and open the way to expanded wind power in Central and Western Japan.

The aim of this initiative is to expand installed wind power capacity in the Hokuriku Electric Power and Shikoku Electric Power service areas by about 200,000 kW each, resulting in an approximate doubling of the installed wind power capacity in the two areas.

The companies will begin taking applications from wind power providers as soon as the roadmap study is complete.

The six Central and Western Japan electric power utilities will also endeavor to further expand wind power in future.