Initiatives at Thermal Power Plants in JapanSustainability

A portion of the steam used to generate power is supplied to neighboring companies through pipes laid in the area. The effective use of this steam helps save energy and reduce CO2 emissions throughout the entire region when compared to each company producing steam independently.

Steam supply pipe

In addition to in-person tours, Kawasaki Thermal Power Station has offered online tours since 2020 as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The online tours have allowed people to participate remotely from their homes and have been well-received. In FY2021, 382 people joined the in-person tours, and 1,213 people participated in online tours.

Power plant tour

Combined cycle power generation fueled by LNG is highly adaptive to load changes in electricity demand compared to other forms of thermal power generation. This means that output can be adjusted significantly in a short period of time; for example, output can be raised from 50% to full capacity in as little as 10 minutes.

Currently, Kawasaki Thermal Power Station also plays a role in adjusting output according to fluctuations in power generation from renewable energy sources, which are affected by weather and other factors, thereby contributing to a stable supply of electricity on a daily basis.

Source: “10 questions for understanding the current energy situation in FY 2021 version,” available on the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy website

Kawasaki Thermal Power Station was the first power plant in eastern Japan to implement the Toyota-style kaizen system for inspection and maintenance operations to improve power generation facility performance. The plant has achieved a significant reduction in maintenance time through three basic pillars for optimizing regular inspections: (1) off-line setup, (2) simultaneous operation, and (3) refinement.

This system enables us to promote the operating rate of the highly efficient Kawasaki Thermal Power Station and reduce operations at inefficient thermal power plants, thereby achieving overall optimization of operations at our thermal power generation facilities and contributing to the reduction of fuel costs and CO2 emissions. JERA was the first power generation company to adopt this kaizen approach internally, and now, after further study, we have developed our own “JERA-style kaizen” to further improve on this approach.

Equipment inspection

The Taketoyo Thermal Power Station is located in a temperate natural environment at the center of the Chita Peninsula in Aichi Prefecture, at the mouth of Kinuura Bay, northwest of Mikawa Bay.

Unit 1 started commercial operation in 1966, with Units 2 through 4 following in 1972, and they each played a major role in providing a stable supply of electric power to the Chubu region. The plant has since been converted into a high-efficiency coal-fired power plant. Beginning in August 2022, it incorporated co-firing of woody biomass fuel to offer a stable long-term supply of electric power, reduce the cost of power generation, and improve environmental performance with the introduction of state-of-the-art equipment.

Above: Enclosed conveyor belt
Top right: Indoor coal storage area

Noise barrier

Taketoyo Thermal Power Station uses highly efficient ultrasupercritical (USC) pressure power generation equipment, the best technology available for coal-fired power generation, and has a capacity of 1,070 MW, one of the largest single-unit outputs in Japan.

We are also working to improve environmental performance by co-firing woody biomass fuel. From the mill pulverizing the fuel into fine powder to the burner serving as combustion equipment, the facilities exclusively use woody biomass, ensuring a high co-combustion ratio (co-firing rate of 17%) and further reducing CO2 emissions (≈ 0.9 million tons per year).