The joint venture of Tokyo Electric and Chubu Electric said in a statement on Wednesday that it has begun preparing for an environmental impact assessment to replace aging facilities at the Sodegaura station with “state-of-the-art” gas turbine combined cycle power generation facilities that will contribute to reducing CO2 emissions.
By replacing aging thermal power generation facilities, Jera will contribute to “ensuring a stable domestic supply of electricity over the long term and to achieving a decarbonized society.”
The power plant is located in part of the Keiyo industrial area, which faces Tokyo Bay.
It features four LNG units with a total capacity of 3,600 MW, and also a huge LNG storage facility with 34 tanks (eight aboveground and 26 underground), which Jera operates in partnership with Tokyo Gas.
The first Sodegaura unit was launched in August 1974, the second in September 1975, the third in February 1977, and the fourth in August 1979.
Jera noted that the existing first unit with a capacity of 600 MW has been under long-term planned shutdown since February 2023.
Under the replacement project, Jera aims to build three new LNG-fueld units with a total capacity of about 2600 MW.
According to Jera, the new units are expected to start operation in fiscal 2032 or later.
Replacement projects
Earlier this year, Jera launched the third and final new LNG unit at its Goi thermal power plant in Chiba as part of a replacement project.
Jera launched the first new LNG unit in August 2024 and the second unit in November 2024.
Each of the units is able to produce 780 MW for a total of 2,340 MW.
In 2023, Jera also launched commercial operations at the third new LNG-fueled unit at its Anegasaki thermal power station in Chiba.
With this, Jera completed the project which consisted of building three new units to replace aging equipment.
