Powering Japan After Tsunami

The Challenge
Urgent power needed after tsunami damaged Japan’s electricity supply
The Solution
200 MW power installed and commissioned in under three months
The Impact
Power restored to help with rebuilding devastated areas

Client:TEPCO

Location:Japan

Sectors:Utilities

The challenge

Urgent power needed after devastating tsunami

In March 2011, eastern Japan was devastated by a magnitude-9 earthquake and subsequent tsunami. About 230,000 people lost their homes, with an estimated US$300 billion in damage. The disaster seriously affected the country’s electricity supply – it needed back-up power, fast. Having worked with us during the 2002 FIFA World Cup, TEPCO turned to us for help.

9.0Earthquake magnitude

200MWEmergency power needed

Diesel and gasMix of fuels used

<3monthsTime taken to commission

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The solution

200 MW of power in under three months

Within three months – and just in time for the summer peak – we had two 100 MW power generation plants up and running. The first was a diesel-fired plant in Hitachinaka; the second, in Sodegaura, was gas-fired. Together, these plants helped to reduce the number of power shortages faced by residents and industry.

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“Knowing just how important it is to get power to places where urgent rebuilding and relief efforts are required, Aggreko responded very swiftly to this emergency.”

The impact

Power restored so rebuilding could begin

Japan got the emergency power needed to progress with rebuilding the areas devastated by the tsunami and earthquake, quickly. Our power plants were up and running fast and were able to sustain the supply of electricity to consumers and industry alike – with the flexibility to match capacity requirements at 1 MW increments.