en.Wedoany.com Reported - Japan Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-POWER) has launched the NEXUS Sakuma project to comprehensively renovate the Sakuma Hydropower Plant in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, with an expected annual increase in power generation of approximately 55 million kWh.

The Sakuma Hydropower Plant is one of Japan's largest conventional hydropower stations. Since its commissioning in 1956, it has been in continuous operation for approximately 70 years, possessing the unique capability to simultaneously output 50 Hz and 60 Hz electricity, serving the eastern and western power grids of Japan respectively, and playing a vital role in regional power supply. Due to equipment aging, J-POWER plans to upgrade the power generation system and related buildings in two phases, with the entire renovation project spanning approximately ten years. This renovation will replace core power generation equipment with high-efficiency systems and increase the maximum water intake, raising the plant's installed capacity from 350 MW to 400 MW.

Under the same water resource conditions, the renovated units will achieve higher power generation efficiency, increasing annual electricity output by approximately 55 million kWh. As the core facility of the Sakuma Dam, the renovation project of the Sakuma Hydropower Plant is a key initiative by J-POWER to enhance renewable energy generation capacity based on existing hydropower stations. The advancement of this renovation project helps tap into the power generation potential of existing hydropower facilities without constructing new reservoirs. The lower reservoir of the Sakuma Hydropower Plant also serves as part of the Shin-Toyone Pumped Storage Power Station, with an installed capacity of 1,125 MW. The implementation of the renovation project will further enhance the comprehensive operational efficiency of the hydropower station cluster in the region.