Japanese utilities to boost wind power by 400 MW

Six electricity utilities in central and western Japan will coordinate the use of their grid to boost wind power capacity by 400 megawatts.

They currfently have about 1,230 MW. The timetable for the project will run over the next four to five years.

Shikoku Electric Power Co and Hokuriku Electric Power Co, both of which have a high potential for wind power, plan to start accepting applications from operators of wind turbines in the coming months, the six companies said in a statement.

Both utilities have limited power demand in their service areas and wind power is difficult for such a small grid network to keep under control. But by supplying surplus power to their peers covering large cities such as Osaka and Nagoya the two would be able to accept more power from wind turbines.

"We're coming up with a framework in time for the launch in July of the government's feed-in tariff scheme, and starting to accept applications," a Hokuriku Electric spokesman said.

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