JERA Plans to Resume Service After the Fire at Taketoyo Thermal Power Station

JERA Co., Inc. has announced a plan to restart the Taketoyo Thermal Power Plant after a fire that happened on January 31. The power plant will resume operations with new safety steps and a lower impact on the environment.

Understanding the Fire and Safety Steps

An accident investigation team, called the Accident Investigation Committee, was set up to find out why the fire happened. They held three meetings to discuss their findings:

1. Third Meeting (April 30): At this meeting, JERA shared what caused the fire.
2. Fourth Meeting (September 3): JERA announced steps to make sure a similar incident doesn’t happen again.

Plan for Restarting Operations

Based on the committee’s findings, JERA is planning to restart the use of biomass fuel at the Taketoyo Plant by the end of the 2026 fiscal year. Biomass co-firing means using both coal and plant-based fuel to generate electricity. However, to be extra careful, they will start with a lower rate of biomass use—just 8% instead of the original 17%. If everything goes well and it’s safe, they might increase the biomass use later.

To make sure electricity keeps flowing while they prepare for biomass use, JERA will rely on coal-only operations. This will begin around January 2025, especially during the winter and summer months when people use more electricity.

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Reducing CO2 Emissions and Helping the Environment

JERA is not only focused on safety; they also want to lower CO2 emissions, which are harmful to the environment. They have two main plans to cut down on CO2:

1. CO2 Emissions Reduction:
   • JERA will try to operate the Taketoyo Power Plant less during times of low electricity demand. This will help them stick to the original CO2 goals set for 17% biomass use.
2. Improving CO2 Intensity:
   • JERA will also reduce the use of coal at other power plants when demand is low and switch to gas-fired power, which is cleaner. This will help them keep the CO2 emission levels close to what they initially planned for 17% biomass use.

Long-Term Environmental Goals

JERA is committed to meeting its environmental targets:

• They will follow all new safety measures to prevent another fire.
• They will focus on a stable electricity supply while lowering CO2 emissions.
• JERA’s goal is to meet its CO2 intensity targets by 2030 and CO2 emission targets by 2035, as part of its long-term plan called “JERA Environmental Commitment.”

With these careful steps, JERA aims to run the Taketoyo Thermal Power Plant safely and in a way that is kinder to the environment.