JERA and Toho Gas established Chita Energy Solutions, a 75:25 joint venture that will own and operate Chita Thermal Power Station Units 7 and 8, and signed an EPC contract with Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions, Toshiba Plant Systems & Services, and Taisei Corporation, JERA announced on February 4, 2025.
According to JERA’s statement, the joint venture between the two Toshiba companies and Taisei will begin construction of the two 659.9MW LNG-fired combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGT) in 2026. Unit 7 is expected to start commercial operation in October 2029 with Unit 8 following in January 2030.
The two Toshiba companies’ statement disclosed that he two units, expected to have approximately 64% efficiency, will consist of GE Vernova gas turbines and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions steam turbines and generators. “The power plant is considering switching to hydrogen as fuel in the medium to long term, and our high level of technological expertise in this area was also recognized, leading to the conclusion of an EPC contract,” said the statement.
JERA started the environmental impact assessment process for the project in 2020 with a “planning-stage document on primary environmental impact consideration.” Most recently, the company submitted the project’s draft environmental impact assessment report and is waiting for feedback from the relevant stakeholders.
Toho Gas agreed to join the project as an equity partner in December 2024.
At its peak, Chita Thermal Power Station had six units with a combined output of 3.97GW. Today, it has two operational 854MW units. Units 1 through 4 were decommissioned in March 2022. Once the two new units are commissioned, the power plant will have three operational units (6 through 8) and a total capacity of 2.17GW, as JERA plans to decommission Unit 5 in FY2026.
