Tokyo Century and JFE Engineering are developing a 20MW/78.97MWh grid-scale battery storage project in Memuro Town, Hokkaido, the companies announced on March 17, 2025. They are aiming to commission the facility in the second half of FY2027.
The asset is being developed by J&TC Memuro Chikuden LLC, a joint venture between the two, on a 3,000m2 plot of land adjacent to Kita Memuro Substation. The lease was awarded to Tokyo Century through Hokkaido Electric Power Network’s second request for proposals to use its land for grid-scale storage, which was ran in September 2023. The project was also awarded about 1.6 billion yen through METI’s FY2024 subsidy program for BESS development.
In addition to taking an equity stake in the project, JFE Engineering will, according to its statement, handle owner’s engineering, including reviewing equipment selection and construction plans. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Urban Energy will serve as the asset’s aggregator. Urban Energy will trade the batteries in the wholesale, balancing, and capacity markets using JFE’s EMS.
JFE Engineering commissioned its first grid-scale battery storage facility, a 1.9MW/8.4MWh asset in Saitama Prefecture, jointly with SDL in October 2024. Its second BESS project is of the same scale and is being developed jointly with Osaka Gas, ML Power, and Kyushu Steel in Saga Prefecture. It is set for FY2025 commissioning. The Memuro project is the company’s third BESS project overall and its first extra high-voltage one.
Development of battery storage, both standalone and co-located, is one of the main pillars of Tokyo Century’s “Midterm Management Plan 2027.” The company aims to develop and own 300MW. Notably, the company acquired 5% of TESS Holdings as part of a broader renewables-focused alliance and invested in BESS-focused fund established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
