Environmental Action Report 2003

(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 FY 2005).
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.
Our trial calculation shows that the use of diverse power sources may result in reducing CO2 emissions to half of the supposed case in which all electricity is generated by coal and oil.

Reduction of CO2 emissions

[Yanaizu Nishiyama geothermal power station]
Geothermal power generation is a clean and environment-friendly system, because it uses renewable and domestic energy.TohokuEPCO operates 4 geothermal stations totalling 223.8 MW,which is the largest scale in Japan.