J-POWER renovates Sakuma hydro station after 70 years

Annual power generation is expected to rise by 55 million kWh.

Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-POWER) has launched the NEXUS Sakuma Project, a comprehensive renovation of the Sakuma Hydroelectric Power Station in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture.

In a press release, J-POWER said it is one of Japan's largest conventional hydroelectric plants, capable of supplying both 50 Hz and 60 Hz power, serving eastern and western Japan alike.

The station has operated continuously since 1956, providing roughly 70 years of stable regional power supply.

However, ageing equipment now requires a full renewal of both generation systems and buildings, to be carried out in two phases over approximately ten years.

The renovation will replace core generation equipment with high-efficiency systems and increase maximum water intake, raising the plant's generating capacity from 350 megawatts (MW) to 400 MW.

Annual power generation is expected to rise by approximately 55 million kilowatt-hour, allowing the plant to extract more output from the same limited water resources.