Marubeni to Revitalize Micro-Hydro Power Plant

Copyright Marubeni Corp.

Marubeni Corp., a major Japanese trading company, announced on June 21, 2010, that it purchased the generating facilities of a micro-hydro power plant and the business rights for "Tateshina Power Plant" on the Tateshina Plateau, Chino city, Nagano prefecture. Marubeni made the purchase from the Tateshina Development Agricultural Cooperative through Mibugawa Electric Power Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marubeni.

The Tateshina Power Plant was built as a micro-hydro power plant with the purpose of fostering local industries in 1954. As a private power generator, the plant had provided neighboring facilities with electricity since beginning operations. However, it has been out of service due to the age of the facility and the high costs associated with operation and maintenance.

Since then, Mibugawa, which has successful experience with water power businesses, started discussions on the transfer of the plant assets with the land owner. The reached a basic agreement in May 2009 for the transfer of the plant and business rights. Receiving subsidies as part of the "Fiscal 2009 Support New Energy Development Businesses" by the New Energy Promotion Council (NEPC), Marubeni began actual construction at mid-July 2010, and aims to open the plant in May 2011.

The Tateshina power plant will use the water flow-in method; water flows in at a maximum rate of 0.53 cubic meters per second and a maximum output capacity of 260 kW. It produces approximately 1.83 million kWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the electricity of about 500 households. As compared with a fuel oil thermal power plant, it can save 2,380 drums of petroleum and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 1,000 tons annually.

Marubeni Corp. official website
https://www.marubeni.com/

Posted: 2010/09/23 06:00:15 AM