Hokuriku Electric Power will supply JR West’s Hokuriku Shinkansen from a 2MW hydroelectric power plant to be built in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture through an offsite PPA, the utility announced on December 18, 2024. The companies also agreed to expand a previously signed solar PPA from 17MW to 48MW.
Construction work on the hydroelectric Hanatate Power Plant, to be situated on Obi River, is expected to begin in 2026 with commissioning scheduled for 2030. The power plant will generate approximately 11.3GWh per year, accounting for approximately 5% of the train line’s power usage within the Hokuriku TSO area.
The 17MW solar PPA was first announced at the end of February 2024. Its expected generation of 20GWh per year would have covered approximately 17% of Hokuriku Shinkansen’s consumption between Itokagawa and Kanazawa, the then-terminal station of the line. The expanded 48MW PPA is expected supply JR West with approximately 52GWh per year by the end of FY2025 and cover approximately 21% of consumption up to Tsuruga, the line’s current terminal station.
Combined, by FY2030, approximately 26% of Hokuriku Shinkansen’s Hokuriku TSO area consumption is expected to be covered by the PPAs with Hokuriku EPCO.
The Japan Energy Hub PPA database shows that JR West has signed numerous PPAs to power its other train lines as well, including a virtual PPA involving Cosmo Eco Power’s onshore wind power plants.
