Hydroelectricity in Japan

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Hydroelectricity is the second most important renewable energy source after solar energy in Japan with an installed capacity of 50.0 gigawatt (GW) as of 2019. [1] According to the International Hydropower Association Japan was the world's sixth largest producer of hydroelectricity in 2020. 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. [2]

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Conventional hydropower potential of Japan is considered to be almost fully developed, with little opportunity for further capacity increase. [3] In recent years, almost exclusively pumped storage plants were commissioned, significantly increasing the ratio of pumped storage capacity over conventional hydro. [3] 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. [4] 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. [4]

As of September 2011, Japan had 1,198 small hydropower plants with a total capacity of 3,225 megawatt (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. [5]

List of hydroelectric power stations

The Sakuma Dam Sakuma-1160-r1.jpg
The Sakuma Dam
The Kurobe Dam Kurobe Dam survey.jpg
The Kurobe Dam
The Maruyama Dam Maruyama Dam survey.jpg
The Maruyama Dam
The Ueno Dam, lower reservoir of the pumped-storage Kannagawa Hydropower Plant RIMG0013.JPG
The Ueno Dam, lower reservoir of the pumped-storage Kannagawa Hydropower Plant
The Futatsuya-Toshuko Dam Futatsuno Dam river maintenance discharge.jpg
The Futatsuya-Tōshukō Dam
StationCapacity (MW)PrefectureCoordinatesStatusType
Akiba Dam 127.1Shizuoka 34°58′20″N137°49′42″E / 34.97222°N 137.82833°E / 34.97222; 137.82833 (Akiba Dam) Operationalpumped storage
Amagase Dam 92Kyoto 34°52′51″N135°49′41″E / 34.88083°N 135.82806°E / 34.88083; 135.82806 (Amagase Dam) Operationalconventional
Arimine Dam 534Toyama 36°29′22″N137°26′55″E / 36.48944°N 137.44861°E / 36.48944; 137.44861 (Arimine Dam) Operationalconventional
Dashidaira Dam 124 Operational
Funagira Dam 32Shizuoka 34°53′26″N137°48′54″E / 34.89056°N 137.81500°E / 34.89056; 137.81500 (Funagira Dam) Operational
Hatanagi-I Hydroelectric Dam 137Shizuoka 35°19′17″N138°10′59″E / 35.32139°N 138.18306°E / 35.32139; 138.18306 (Hatanagi-I Hydroelectric Dam) Operationalpumped storage
Hatanagi-II Hydroelectric Dam 85Shizuoka 35°18′29″N138°12′11″E / 35.30806°N 138.20306°E / 35.30806; 138.20306 (Hatanagi-II Hydroelectric Dam) Operationalpumped storage
Hiraoka Dam 101NaganoOperational
Honkawa [6] 600pumped storage
Ikawa Dam 62Shizuoka 35°12′38″N138°13′22″E / 35.21056°N 138.22278°E / 35.21056; 138.22278 (Ikawa Dam) Operational
Ikehara Pumped Storage Plant 350 Operationalpumped storage
Imaichi Pumped Storage Plant 1,050Tochigi 36°49′31″N139°39′58″E / 36.82528°N 139.66611°E / 36.82528; 139.66611 (Imiachi Dam) Operationalpumped storage
Kadonogawa Power Station 800 Operationalpumped storage
Kannagawa Hydropower Plant U/C2,820Nagano 36°00′18″N138°39′09″E / 36.00500°N 138.65250°E / 36.00500; 138.65250 (Kannagawa Hydropower Plant) Operationalpumped storage
Kazunogawa Pumped Storage Plant 1,200Yamanashi 35°43′07″N138°55′47″E / 35.71861°N 138.92972°E / 35.71861; 138.92972 (Kazunogawa Pumped Storage Plant) Operationalpumped storage
Kinugawa-Kurobe Dam 127 Operational
Kisenyama Pumped Storage Plant 466Kyoto 34°53′30″N135°51′34″E / 34.89167°N 135.85944°E / 34.89167; 135.85944 (Kisenyama Pumped Storage Plant) Operationalpumped storage
Konoyama Dam 126NiigataOperational
Kurobe Dam 335Toyama 36°33′30″N137°40′00″E / 36.55833°N 137.66667°E / 36.55833; 137.66667 (Kurobe Dam) Operational
Kuroda Dam 315Aichi 35°11′14″N137°28′34″E / 35.18722°N 137.47611°E / 35.18722; 137.47611 (Kuroda Dam) Operational
Maruyama Dam 185Gifu 35°28′08″N137°10′20″E / 35.46889°N 137.17222°E / 35.46889; 137.17222 (Maruyama Dam) Operational
Matsubara Dam 50.6Oita 33°11′39″N130°59′38″E / 33.19417°N 130.99389°E / 33.19417; 130.99389 (Matsubara Dam)
Masegawa Dam [6] 288 Operational
Matanoagawa Pumped Storage Plant 1,200Tottori 35°14′44″N133°29′30″E / 35.24556°N 133.49167°E / 35.24556; 133.49167 (Matanoagawa Pumped Storage Plant) Operationalpumped storage
Miboro Dam 215Gifu 36°08′17.7″N136°54′38.9″E / 36.138250°N 136.910806°E / 36.138250; 136.910806 (Miboro Dam) Operational
Midono Pumped Storage Plant [6] 122 Operationalpumped storage
Miho Dam 7.4Kanagawa 35°24′37″N139°02′30″E / 35.41028°N 139.04167°E / 35.41028; 139.04167 (Miho Dam) Operational
Misakubo Dam 50Shizuoka 35°11′05″N137°55′54″E / 35.18472°N 137.93167°E / 35.18472; 137.93167 (Misakubo Dam) Operational
Miyagase Dam 24Kanagawa 35°32′26″N139°15′09″E / 35.54056°N 139.25250°E / 35.54056; 139.25250 (Miyagase Dam) Operational
Miyanaka Dam 449NiigataOperational
Nagano Pumped Storage Plant 220 Operationalpumped storage
Niikappu Pumped Storage Plant 200 Operationalpumped storage
Nishiotaki Dam 234NaganoOperational
Numappara Pumped Storage Plant 675 Operationalpumped storage
Ohashi Dam 615Kōchi 33°46′13″N133°20′12″E / 33.77028°N 133.33667°E / 33.77028; 133.33667 (Ohashi Dam) Operationalpumped storage
Ōigawa Dam 68.2Shizuoka 35°09′53″N138°08′34″E / 35.16472°N 138.14278°E / 35.16472; 138.14278 (Ōigawa Dam) Operational
Okawachi Pumped Storage Power Station [7] 1,280HyōgoOperationalpumped storage
Okukiyotsu Pumped Storage Power Station (1 & 2)1,600NiigataOperationalpumped storage
Okinawa Yanbaru Seawater Pumped Storage Power Station [8] 30Okinawa 26°40′25″N128°15′56″E / 26.67361°N 128.26556°E / 26.67361; 128.26556 (Okinawa Yanbaru Seawater Pumped Storage Power Station) Operationalpumped storage
Okutadami Dam 560Niigata/Fukushima 37°09′12″N139°15′00″E / 37.15333°N 139.25000°E / 37.15333; 139.25000 (Okutadami Dam) Operationalconventional
Okutataragi Pumped Storage Plant 1,932Hyōgo 35°14′12″N134°51′23″E / 35.23667°N 134.85639°E / 35.23667; 134.85639 (Okutataragi Pumped Storage Plant) Operationalpumped storage
Okuyoshino Pumped Storage Plant 1,206Nara 34°7′4″N135°49′16″E / 34.11778°N 135.82111°E / 34.11778; 135.82111 (Okuyoshino Pumped Storage Power Station) Operationalpumped storage
Otori Dam 182Fukushima 37°12′53″N139°12′50″E / 37.21472°N 139.21389°E / 37.21472; 139.21389 (Otori Dam) Operational
Sagami Dam 31Kanagawa; 35°36′56″N139°11′43″E / 35.61556°N 139.19528°E / 35.61556; 139.19528 (Sagami Dam) Operational
Sakuma Dam 350Aichi 35°05′58″N137°47′39″E / 35.09944°N 137.79417°E / 35.09944; 137.79417 (Sakuma Dam) Operationalconventional
Sasamagawa Dam 58Shizuoka 34°58′17″N138°05′38″E / 34.97139°N 138.09389°E / 34.97139; 138.09389 (Sasamagawa Dam) Operational
Senzu Dam 22.2Shizuoka 35°13′00″N138°05′25″E / 35.21667°N 138.09028°E / 35.21667; 138.09028 (Senzu Dam) Operational
Shimogo Pumped Storage Power Station 1,000FukushimaOperationalpumped storage
Shin-Takasegawa Pumped Storage Plant 1,280Nagano 36°28′26″N137°41′23″E / 36.47389°N 137.68972°E / 36.47389; 137.68972 (Shin-Takasegawa Pumped Storage Plant) Operationalpumped storage
Shinanogawa Pumped Storage Plant 234 Operationalpumped storage
Shintoyone Pumped Storage Plant 1,125Aichi 35°07′33″N137°45′38″E / 35.12583°N 137.76056°E / 35.12583; 137.76056 (Shintoyone Pumped Storage Plant) Operationalpumped storage
Shiobara Pumped Storage Plant 900TochigiOperationalpumped storage
Shiogō Dam 58Shizuoka 35°00′05″N138°05′15″E / 35.00139°N 138.08750°E / 35.00139; 138.08750 (Shiogō Dam) Operational
Shiroyama Dam 275Kanagawa 35°35′09″N139°17′22″E / 35.58583°N 139.28944°E / 35.58583; 139.28944 (Shiroyama Dam) Operational
Tagokura Dam 390Fukushima 37°18′38″N139°17′13″E / 37.31056°N 139.28694°E / 37.31056; 139.28694 (Tagokura Dam) Operational
Takami Pumped Storage Plant 200 Operationalpumped storage
Taki Dam 92Fukushima 37°23′13″N139°32′02″E / 37.38694°N 139.53389°E / 37.38694; 139.53389 (Taki Dam) Operational
Tamahara Pumped Storage Power Station 1,200Gunma 36°46′56″N139°03′23″E / 36.78222°N 139.05639°E / 36.78222; 139.05639 (Tamahara Pumped Storage Power Station) Operationalpumped storage
Tashiro Dam 40.1Shizuoka 35°29′55″N138°14′47″E / 35.49861°N 138.24639°E / 35.49861; 138.24639 (Tashiro Dam) Operational
Tedorigawa I Dam 250 Operational
Tokuyama Dam 153Gifu 35°39′55″N136°30′08″E / 35.66528°N 136.50222°E / 35.66528; 136.50222 (Tokuyama Dam) Operational
Okuyahagi Pumped Storage Power Station 1,160Gifu 35°11′59″N137°27′31″E / 35.19972°N 137.45861°E / 35.19972; 137.45861 (Tominaga Dam) Operationalpumped storage
Yagisawa Pumped Storage Plant 240 Operationalpumped storage
Yomihaki Power Station 112 Operational

See also

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References

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  2. "Status of Hydropower in Japan - May 2007" (PDF). New Energy Foundation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 "ELECTRICITY REVIEW JAPAN 2015" (PDF). The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 Fairley, Peter (18 March 2015). "A Pumped Hydro Energy-Storage Renaissance". IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  5. Johnston, Eric, "Small hydropower plants keep it local", Japan Times , 29 September 2011, p. 3.
  6. 1 2 3 "Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric Plants in Japan - Industcards". Archived from the original on 2013-01-03. Retrieved 2013-05-03.
  7. Major Power Plants in Japan
  8. Yanbaru Archived 2007-08-04 at the Wayback Machine