Turnkey orders received for IGCC plants in Fukushima

A consortium led by Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has received successive full-turnkey orders for integrated coal gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) plant facilities from Nakoso IGCC Power GK (Note 1) and Hirono IGCC Power GK (Note 2). Both plants will have a generating capacity of 540 MW, with operations slated to commence in September 2020 and September 2021, respectively.

In the case of Nakoso IGCC Power GK, the new plant will be located on property adjacent to Joban Joint Power Co., Ltd.'s Nakoso Power Station in Iwaki City. The plant on order from Hirono IGCC Power GK will be built on the site of TEPCO Fuel & Power, Inc.'s Hirono Thermal Power Station in Fukushima's Futaba District. The IGCC project is intended to contribute to the revitalization in Fukushima Prefecture through the construction and operation of the world's most advanced thermal power plants. The project will result in the development of industrial infrastructure and economic recovery in the area.

The IGCC facilities on order are power generating plants based entirely on technologies developed in Japan. Their development has been achieved through experience gained in designing and constructing Unit 10 at Joban Joint Power's Nakoso Power Station (formerly the demonstration plant of Clean Coal Power R&D Co., Ltd.), which set a world record for longest continuous operation. The new plants, however, will have more than double the 250 MW generating capacity of Unit 10.

In an IGCC system, coal is gasified in a high-temperature, high-pressure gasification furnace, and power is generated using a high-efficiency combined-cycle format integrating gas and steam turbines. The system is revolutionary in that power generation efficiency is significantly higher than in conventional coal-fired thermal plants, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are 15 percent lower. In addition, IGCC systems are better suited to the use of low-grade coal compared with earlier coal-fired plants, assuring optimal environmental protection. This is an advantage for efficient use of resources, especially in countries like Japan which lack abundant commodities. For these reasons, demand for IGCC plants is expected to grow in the years ahead.

MHPS is committed to successfully executing the newly ordered IGCC plant project while working closely with its three partners in the consortium: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Environmental Solutions, Ltd. In the process, every effort will be made to further improve IGCC technologies to enable even more efficient use of resources and further protect the environment.