On March 5, 2025, J-POWER began the environmental impact assessment process for an approximately 15MW geothermal project in Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, by submitting a “planning-stage document on primary environmental impact consideration” to METI and the involved municipalities.
According to the document, the company plans to commission the “Takahinatayama area geothermal power generation project” in FY2032 or later. To begin construction, the company will need to go through multiple rounds of government and public feedback while proceeding through the methodology and draft report stages of the environmental assessment process.
J-POWER discovered potential for the project through geothermal surveys it conducted in the area, evaluating available resources through, among other methods, electromagnetic surveying, exploration well drilling, and fumarolic tests. The surveys were supported by JOGMEC (Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security).
If constructed as planned, the power plant will be J-POWER’s fourth geothermal asset. It currently operates the 14.9MW Onikobe Geothermal Power Plant in Miyagi Prefecture, the 46MW Wasabizawa Geothermal Power Plant in Akita Prefecture, and the 14.9MW Appi Geothermal Power Plant in Iwate Prefecture. The latter two are owned by joint ventures with Mitsubishi Materials and Mitsubishi Gas.
While Japan has an estimated 23GW geothermal potential, the third highest in the world after the US and Indonesia, new power plant development remains slow due to concerns about their effect on hot springs among other reasons.
