Japan to beef up transmission system

Upgrade triggered by plan to triple wind power capacity.

Japan will bring its wind power capacity to 7.5 million kilowatts by developing transmission grids in the Hokkaido and the Tohoku regions. The Japan Wind Power Association said Japan could have 50 gigawatts of wind-generated electricity by 2050 or over 10% of the country’s demand.

In a 10-year project to begin this April, Japan plans to cover the costs of building transmission grids. Total spending on the transmission grids project from the public and private sectors is estimated at USS$4.1 billion.

Wind-generated power in Hokkaido and Tohoku could provide electricity for the Tokyo metropolitan area and other locations through the transmission networks of major utility companies. Hokkaido and Tohoku are considered the most suitable areas for wind power production.