Press Release
TEPCO Seabed Survey Examining Feasibility of Offshore Wind Farm
Nov 1, 2018
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.
Tokyo, November 1, 2018 — Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO) announced today that it has begun a seabed survey off the coast of municipalities of Choshi, Asahi, Sosa and Yokoshibahikari in Chiba Prefecture to ascertain the bedrock structure of the seabed for a possible offshore wind farm. The boring survey will last until the end of January 2019. TEPCO will also conduct sonic prospecting offshore of the municipalities of Choshi, Asahi, Sosa and Yokoshibahikari in the same period.
TEPCO is moving forward with domestic and overseas offshore wind power projects and overseas hydroelectric power projects, aiming to develop renewable energy sources as primary sources of power. The company’s target is eventually to produce two to three million kilowatts (kW) of power from its domestic offshore wind power projects.
TEPCO began conducting offshore research off the coast of Choshi in August 2009 under a public initiative organized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). In the years since, TEPCO has surveyed weather conditions, sea life and the potential environmental impact of offshore structures in the area.
Also, since January 2013, TEPCO and NEDO have been testing Japan’s first offshore wind power generation facility, a fixed-foundation offshore turbine with a rated power of 2,400 kW, located 3.1 km south of Choshi. The test has provided TEPCO with valuable experience in facility operation and maintenance as well as equipment safety and resistance to corrosion and other conditions. As a result, TEPCO has confirmed that the fairly shallow depths and high winds along the Chiba coast offer excellent conditions for an offshore wind farm.
Going forward, TEPCO looks forward to furthering Japan’s energy policy by expanding opportunities for the development of reusable energy sources.
Attachment : Overview of Seabed Survey Offshore of Chiba Prefecture
About TEPCO
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO) is Japan's largest power company group, holding three independent business entities: TEPCO Fuel & Power, Inc., TEPCO Power Grid, Inc., and TEPCO Energy Partner, Inc. As a group, it generates, distributes, and sells electricity and other types of energy principally to the Kanto metropolitan area, which includes Japan's two most populous cities, Tokyo and Yokohama. Its 42,060 employees are committed to providing safe, reliable power as well as fulfilling its responsibilities to the communities of Fukushima. (As of April 1, 2017)
