J-Power Unveiled its Plans to Cede Operations of its Matsushima Coal-Fired Power Plant
In a significant move towards decarbonization, the Japanese power producer and wholesaler J-Power has announced its plans to cease operations of its 1GW Matsushima coal-fired power plant in Nagasaki Prefecture, south Japan, by the end of March 2025. This decision is part of J-Power's broader strategy to reduce its carbon footprint.
As part of this transition, J-Power intends to dismantle the 500MW No.1 unit of the plant and temporarily shut down the 500MW No.2 unit for an upgrade. An integral aspect of this upgrade is the addition of a new 180MW integrated coal gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) unit. This new unit will be incorporated into the existing No.2 unit, whose operational capacity will subsequently be reduced to 320MW. The construction for this project is set to commence in 2026, with J-Power aiming to complete and begin commercial operations during the fiscal year of April 2028 to March 2029.
The upgraded 500MW No.2 unit will be equipped with advanced IGCC technology, which boasts a thermal efficiency of 46-50%, surpassing the standard set by the trade and industry ministry for efficient coal power units. This marks a significant improvement over the current No.1 and No.2 units, which have been operational since 1981 and utilize less efficient supercritical technology.
While J-Power will continue to use coal at the new No.2 IGCC unit, the company expects coal consumption to decrease due to enhanced efficiency. Future plans may include the introduction of co-firing with biomass and ammonia. Additionally, J-Power is exploring the potential use of blue hydrogen produced from coal with carbon capture and storage (CCS) or hydrogen procured from external sources.
The fate of the decommissioned No.1 unit and its associated land remains undecided. However, J-Power is contemplating the possibility of repurposing these assets for CCS or biomass-related facilities.
In alignment with its environmental commitments, J-Power aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 19% to below 39.6 million tonnes from the levels of 2013-14 by the fiscal year 2025-26. This initiative is a crucial step in J-Power’s journey towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
According to the article by Procurement Resource, J-Power, a Japanese power producer, plans to shut down its 1GW Matsushima coal-fired plant in Nagasaki by March 2025, aligning with its decarbonization goals. The company will dismantle the 500MW No.1 unit and upgrade the 500MW No.2 unit, integrating a new 180MW IGCC unit, improving efficiency. The upgraded unit will have enhanced thermal efficiency and may later incorporate biomass and ammonia co-firing. J-Power also considers using blue hydrogen. The company targets a 19% CO2 reduction by 2025-26 and carbon neutrality by 2050.
