Kansai Electric Power Company is upgrading the Himeji No. 1 Power Station in Japan. The project replaces older units with three high-efficiency combined cycle gas turbines, increasing total output to 1,950 MW and raising thermal efficiency from 54% to 63%. While the plant will continue to run on natural gas, the utility is evaluating future transitions to hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon capture and storage. Commercial operations are expected to begin in fiscal year 2033 or later.
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A jump to 63% efficiency is a solid gain, but a 2033 start date is a long way off. I wonder if the grid needs this capacity sooner or if this is just a slow replacement cycle for 30 year old assets. Do they have a specific plan for the interconnection upgrades to handle the extra 500 MW?
The mention of hydrogen and CCS feels like a hedge. Without a clear carbon price or subsidy for those specific fuels in Japan, these plants usually just run on LNG for their entire lifespan. The policy intent is zero carbon, but the implementation here is still fossil fuel heavy.
Basically replacing a 1.4 GW plant with a 1.9 GW one. Better efficiency is good, but it is still a massive bet on gas for the next few decades. Worth following to see if the CCS part actually gets funded or stays as a vague assessment.
