Environmental Action Report 2002

(1) Development of Diverse Power Sources

TohokuEPCO has been developing a well-balanced system centered on nuclear power generation.
The system aims to achieve both environmentally and economically sound performances, stable supplies and efficient operation.

Generated electricity by diverse power source (%)

Nuclear power generation is essential for the mitigation of global warming as it does not emit CO2 during the generation of power. TohokuEPCO is doing its best to ensure the safe and stable operation of its Onagawa nuclear power station (total capacity: 2,174 MW), while newly constructing the Higashidori nuclear power station (capacity: 1,100 MW, which is scheduled to commence operations in FY2005).
Additionally, TohokuEPCO is trying to reduce CO2 emissions from thermal power stations through the development and installation of the most advanced LNG-fired power plant with the highest thermal efficiency in the world), and highly efficient coal-fired plants, as well as utilizing hydroelectric, geothermal, and other natural power sources.
The installation of a combination of hydroelectric, LNG-fired and nuclear power generation systems resulted in a very significant reduction of CO2 emissions (about half the previous amount in FY2001, as compared to fully coal-fired or oil-fired power systems.)

Reduction of CO2 emissions

[Daini Kaminojiri hydroelectric power station]
In our supply area, there are 212 hydroelectric power stations (the largest number in Japan, total capacity: 2,470 MW) and 4 geothermal power stations (the largest scale in Japan, total capacity: 223.8 MW)