Tohoku Electric Power to Expand Purchasing of Wind Power

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Japan's Tohoku Electric Power Co. announced its decision to expand its acceptable wind power penetration level from 520,000 kW to 850,000 kW based on its reassessment. Following the decision, the company is accepting fiscal 2008 applications for wind power to be connected to its grid for purchasing wind power.

Wind power outputs fluctuate depending on wind conditions. To maintain the power frequency at 50 Hertz, the power company needs to control output from its thermal power plants in response to fluctuations caused by wind conditions as well as power consumption. This is why there is a cap on grid-connected wind power. The cap is called acceptable wind power penetration level.

The company reassessed the acceptable wind power penetration levels by analyzing wind power generation data from December 2002 through March 2008 (maximum: about 350,000 kW). The ability of the power system to adjust had improved due to growing electricity demand, and the accumulated data had enabled highly accurate assessments of wind power generation output variability. The company therefore decided to increase the acceptable penetration level.

The company is accepting applications from large scale wind power plants (2,000 kW or over) for 100,000 kW in total, medium scale ones (20 kW or over, less than 2,000 kW) for 10,000 kW in total and small scale ones (less than 20 kW) without conditions. When power demand is small, large and medium scale wind plants will have to stop operating to keep a balance between supply and demand.

- Tohoku Electric Power Co. official website
http://www.tohoku-epco.co.jp/index-e.htm

Posted: 2009/03/13 06:00:15 AM