Press Releases 2016

TEPCO Fuel & Power, Incorporated

TEPCO Fuel & Power, Incorporated (hereinafter called TEPCO Fuel & Power) announced that the company started commercial operations of Kawasaki Thermal Power Station Unit 3 at Group 2 (rated output: 710MW, generation efficiency: approx. 61%, fuel: LNG)^*.
During construction, the factory assembly scope for the heat recovery boiler was reviewed and increased the use of off-line setups. These efforts shortened construction time onsite and realized the start of Unit 3 a year ahead of the original schedule that was planned after the earthquake. As a result, the company estimates that it can reduce fuel costs by about 10 billion yen and about 700 thousand tons of CO₂ emissions.

Kawasaki Thermal Power Station, started commercial operations as a coal-fired thermal power station in 1961, shifted its fuel to naphtha in 1972 and to LNG in 1984 to tackle with pollution problems.
Afterwards, a replacement plan was announced in 1996 and started the construction of an LNG thermal power station using cutting-edge technology while at the same time dismantling the existing facilities. Starting from the first unit in June 2007, Kawasaki Thermal Power Station made a new start as an LNG power station with commercial operations of Unit 3. With world-class cutting-edge technology, the power station consists of 6 units (output: 3,420MW): 4 units of 1,500℃ class combined cycle (MACC: More Advanced Combined Cycle) and 2 units of 1,600℃ class combined cycle (MACCII).

Kawasaki Thermal Power Station Unit 3 at Group 2 features are as follows:

(1)Using MACCIIwhich provides the world’s highest level generation efficiency
The power station realizes the world’s highest level of 61% generation efficiency. It uses state-of-arts heat-resistant materials and cooling technology for gas turbines and also adopts combustion temperatures being raised from 1,500℃ of MACC to 1,600℃ of MACC II. Compared with conventional LNG thermal power plants, the generation efficiency improves about 40% and the amounts of fuel costs and CO₂ emissions are reduced about 30%.

(2)Using exhaust gas treatment technology which is cutting-edge and environmentally friendly
The power station uses low NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) burners and high-performance NOx removal equipment that can resist high combustion temperatures. These pieces of equipment use state-of-art and environmentally friendly technologies for exhaust gas treatment.

TEPCO Fuel & Power will continue to strive to strategically reduce fuel cost and improve profitability in order to supply stable and inexpensive electricity and to generate funds towards revitalization of Fukushima.

*Currently, rated output has been reduced from 710MW to 685MW and generation efficiency from approx. 61% to approx. 59% when comparing with the original design. This is due to emergency construction work based on another company’s defective steam turbine.