Hydroelectricity in Japan

Hydroelectricity is Japan's main renewable energy source, with an installed capacity of about 50 GW (including pumped storage)^[1] and a production of 69.2 TWh of electricity in 2009,^[2] making Japan one of the biggest hydroelectricity producers in the world. Most of Japanese hydroelectric power plants are pumped-storage plants. Conventional hydropower plants account for about 20 GW out of the total installed capacity as of 2007.^[3]

Conventional hydropower potential of Japan is considered to be almost fully developed, with little opportunity for further capacity increase.^[4] In recent years, almost exclusively pumped storage plants were commissioned, significantly increasing the ratio of pumped storage capacity over conventional hydro.^[4] The large capacity of pumped storage hydropower was built to store energy from nuclear power plants, which until the Fukushima disaster constituted a large part of Japan electricity generation. As of 2015, Japan is the country with the highest capacity of pumped-storage hydroelectricity in the world, with 26 GW of power installed.^[5] After the 2011 nuclear power shutdowns, pumped-storage plants have been increasingly used to balance the variable generation of renewable energy sources such as solar, which have been growing rapidly in recent years.^[5]

As of September 2011, Japan had 1,198 small hydropower plants with a total capacity of 3,225 MW. The smaller plants accounted for 6.6% of Japan's total hydropower capacity. The remaining capacity was filled by large and medium hydropower stations, typically sited at large dams. Cost per kilowatt-hour for power from smaller plants was high at ¥15-100, hindering further development of the energy source.^[6]

List of hydroelectric power stations

The Ueno Dam, lower reservoir of the pumped-storage Kannagawa Hydropower Plant

Station	Capacity (MW)	Community	Coordinates	Status	Type
Akiba Dam	127.1		34°58′20″N 137°49′42″E / 34.97222°N 137.82833°E / 34.97222; 137.82833 (Akiba Dam)	Operational	pumped storage
Amagase Dam	92		34°52′51″N 135°49′41″E / 34.88083°N 135.82806°E / 34.88083; 135.82806 (Amagase Dam)	Operational	conventional
Arimine Dam	534		36°29′22″N 137°26′55″E / 36.48944°N 137.44861°E / 36.48944; 137.44861 (Arimine Dam)	Operational	conventional
Dashidaira Dam	124			Operational
Funagira Dam	32		34°53′26″N 137°48′54″E / 34.89056°N 137.81500°E / 34.89056; 137.81500 (Funagira Dam)	Operational
Hatanagi-I Hydroelectric Dam	137		35°19′17″N 138°10′59″E / 35.32139°N 138.18306°E / 35.32139; 138.18306 (Hatanagi-I Hydroelectric Dam)	Operational	pumped storage
Hatanagi-II Hydroelectric Dam	85		35°18′29″N 138°12′11″E / 35.30806°N 138.20306°E / 35.30806; 138.20306 (Hatanagi-II Hydroelectric Dam)	Operational	pumped storage
Hiraoka Dam	101			Operational
Honkawa^[7]	600
Ikawa Dam	62		35°12′38″N 138°13′22″E / 35.21056°N 138.22278°E / 35.21056; 138.22278 (Ikawa Dam)	Operational
Ikehara Pumped Storage Plant	350			Operational	pumped storage
Imaichi Pumped Storage Plant	1,050		36°49′31″N 139°39′58″E / 36.82528°N 139.66611°E / 36.82528; 139.66611 (Imiachi Dam)	Operational	pumped storage
Kadonogawa Power Station	800			Operational
Kannagawa Hydropower Plant ^U/C	2,820		36°00′18″N 138°39′09″E / 36.00500°N 138.65250°E / 36.00500; 138.65250 (Kannagawa Hydropower Plant)	Operational	pumped storage
Kazunogawa Pumped Storage Plant	1,200		35°43′07″N 138°55′47″E / 35.71861°N 138.92972°E / 35.71861; 138.92972 (Kazunogawa Pumped Storage Plant)	Operational	pumped storage
Kinugawa-Kurobe Dam	127			Operational
Kisenyama Pumped Storage Plant	466		34°53′30″N 135°51′34″E / 34.89167°N 135.85944°E / 34.89167; 135.85944 (Kisenyama Pumped Storage Plant)	Operational	pumped storage
Konoyama Dam	126			Operational
Kurobe Dam	335		36°33′30″N 137°40′00″E / 36.55833°N 137.66667°E / 36.55833; 137.66667 (Kurobe Dam)	Operational
Kuroda Dam	315		35°11′14″N 137°28′34″E / 35.18722°N 137.47611°E / 35.18722; 137.47611 (Kuroda Dam)	Operational
Maruyama Dam	185		35°28′08″N 137°10′20″E / 35.46889°N 137.17222°E / 35.46889; 137.17222 (Maruyama Dam)	Operational
Masegawa Dam^[7]	288			Operational
Matanoagawa Pumped Storage Plant	1,200		35°14′44″N 133°29′30″E / 35.24556°N 133.49167°E / 35.24556; 133.49167 (Matanoagawa Pumped Storage Plant)	Operational	pumped storage
Miboro Dam	215		36°08′17.7″N 136°54′38.9″E / 36.138250°N 136.910806°E / 36.138250; 136.910806 (Miboro Dam)	Operational
Midono Pumped Storage Plant^[7]	122			Operational	pumped storage
Miho Dam	7.4		35°24′37″N 139°02′30″E / 35.41028°N 139.04167°E / 35.41028; 139.04167 (Miho Dam)	Operational
Misakubo Dam	50		35°11′05″N 137°55′54″E / 35.18472°N 137.93167°E / 35.18472; 137.93167 (Misakubo Dam)	Operational
Miyagase Dam	24		35°32′26″N 139°15′09″E / 35.54056°N 139.25250°E / 35.54056; 139.25250 (Miyagase Dam)	Operational
Miyanaka Dam	449			Operational
Nagano Pumped Storage Plant	220			Operational	pumped storage
Niikappu Pumped Storage Plant	200			Operational	pumped storage
Nishiotaki Dam	234			Operational
Numappara Pumped Storage Plant	675			Operational	pumped storage
Ohashi Dam	615		33°46′13″N 133°20′12″E / 33.77028°N 133.33667°E / 33.77028; 133.33667 (Ohashi Dam)	Operational
Ōigawa Dam	68.2		35°09′53″N 138°08′34″E / 35.16472°N 138.14278°E / 35.16472; 138.14278 (Ōigawa Dam)	Operational
Okawachi Pumped Storage Power Station^[8]	1,280			Operational	pumped storage
Okukiyotsu Pumped Storage Power Station (1 & 2)	1,600			Operational	pumped storage
Okinawa Yanbaru Seawater Pumped Storage Power Station^[9]	30		26°40′25″N 128°15′56″E / 26.67361°N 128.26556°E / 26.67361; 128.26556	Operational	pumped storage
Okutadami Dam	560		37°09′12″N 139°15′00″E / 37.15333°N 139.25000°E / 37.15333; 139.25000 (Okutadami Dam)	Operational
Okutataragi Pumped Storage Plant	1,932		35°14′12″N 134°51′23″E / 35.23667°N 134.85639°E / 35.23667; 134.85639 (Okutataragi Pumped Storage Plant)	Operational	pumped storage
Okuyoshino Pumped Storage Plant	1,206	Totsukawa	34°7′4″N 135°49′16″E / 34.11778°N 135.82111°E / 34.11778; 135.82111	Operational	pumped storage
Otori Dam	182		37°12′53″N 139°12′50″E / 37.21472°N 139.21389°E / 37.21472; 139.21389 (Otori Dam)	Operational
Sagami Dam	31		35°36′56″N 139°11′43″E / 35.61556°N 139.19528°E / 35.61556; 139.19528 (Sagami Dam)	Operational
Sakuma Dam	350	Sakuma	35°05′58″N 137°47′39″E / 35.09944°N 137.79417°E / 35.09944; 137.79417 (Sakuma Dam)	Operational
Sasamagawa Dam	58		34°58′17″N 138°05′38″E / 34.97139°N 138.09389°E / 34.97139; 138.09389 (Sasamagawa Dam)	Operational
Senzu Dam	22.2		35°13′00″N 138°05′25″E / 35.21667°N 138.09028°E / 35.21667; 138.09028 (Senzu Dam)	Operational
Shimogo Pumped Storage Power Station	1,000			Operational	pumped storage
Shin-Takasegawa Pumped Storage Plant	1,280		36°28′26″N 137°41′23″E / 36.47389°N 137.68972°E / 36.47389; 137.68972	Operational	pumped storage
Shinanogawa Pumped Storage Plant	234			Operational	pumped storage
Shintoyone Pumped Storage Plant	1,125		35°07′33″N 137°45′38″E / 35.12583°N 137.76056°E / 35.12583; 137.76056 (Shintoyone Pumped Storage Plant)	Operational	pumped storage
Shiobara Pumped Storage Plant	900			Operational	pumped storage
Shiogō Dam	58		35°00′05″N 138°05′15″E / 35.00139°N 138.08750°E / 35.00139; 138.08750 (Shiogō Dam)	Operational
Shiroyama Dam	275		35°35′09″N 139°17′22″E / 35.58583°N 139.28944°E / 35.58583; 139.28944 (Shiroyama Dam)	Operational
Tagokura Dam	390		37°18′38″N 139°17′13″E / 37.31056°N 139.28694°E / 37.31056; 139.28694 (Tagokura Dam)	Operational
Takami Pumped Storage Plant	200			Operational	pumped storage
Taki Dam	92		37°23′13″N 139°32′02″E / 37.38694°N 139.53389°E / 37.38694; 139.53389 (Taki Dam)	Operational
Tamahara Pumped Storage Power Station	1,200		36°46′56″N 139°03′23″E / 36.78222°N 139.05639°E / 36.78222; 139.05639	Operational	pumped storage
Tashiro Dam	40.1		35°29′55″N 138°14′47″E / 35.49861°N 138.24639°E / 35.49861; 138.24639 (Tashiro Dam)	Operational
Tedorigawa I Dam	250			Operational
Tokuyama Dam	153		35°39′55″N 136°30′08″E / 35.66528°N 136.50222°E / 35.66528; 136.50222 (Tokuyama Dam)	Operational
Okuyahagi Pumped Storage Power Station	1,160		35°11′59″N 137°27′31″E / 35.19972°N 137.45861°E / 35.19972; 137.45861 (Tominaga Dam)	Operational	pumped storage
Yagisawa Pumped Storage Plant	240			Operational	pumped storage
Yomihaki Power Station	112			Operational

References

^ "2015 Key World Energy Statistics" (PDF). report. International Energy Agency (IEA). Retrieved 1 June 2016.
^ See Hydroelectricity#World hydroelectric capacity
^ "Status of Hydropower in Japan - May 2007" (PDF). New Energy Foundation. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
^ ^a ^b "ELECTRICITY REVIEW JAPAN 2015" (PDF). The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
^ ^a ^b Fairley, Peter (18 March 2015). "A Pumped Hydro Energy-Storage Renaissance". IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
^ Johnston, Eric, "Small hydropower plants keep it local", Japan Times, 29 September 2011, p. 3.
^ ^a ^b ^c Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric Plants in Japan - Industcards
^ Major Power Plants in Japan
^ Yanbaru Archived 2007-08-04 at the Wayback Machine

[IEA2015-1] "2015 Key World Energy Statistics" (PDF). report. International Energy Agency (IEA). Retrieved 1 June 2016.

[2] See Hydroelectricity#World hydroelectric capacity

[3] "Status of Hydropower in Japan - May 2007" (PDF). New Energy Foundation. Retrieved 15 July 2017.

[fepc2015-4] "ELECTRICITY REVIEW JAPAN 2015" (PDF). The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan. Retrieved 15 July 2017.

[ieee2015-5] Fairley, Peter (18 March 2015). "A Pumped Hydro Energy-Storage Renaissance". IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News. Retrieved 23 October 2017.

[6] Johnston, Eric, "Small hydropower plants keep it local", Japan Times, 29 September 2011, p. 3.

[indjpn-7] Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric Plants in Japan - Industcards

[8] Major Power Plants in Japan

[9] Yanbaru Archived 2007-08-04 at the Wayback Machine

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List of hydroelectric power stations

See also

References