Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Electricity from Hokkaido to the Tokyo Metropolitan Area Established a submarine transmission line in the Sea

As the supply and demand of electricity continues to be severe, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has decided to develop a new transmission line that sends electricity from Hokkaido to the Tokyo metropolitan area through the seabed of the Sea of Japan. Renewable energy generated in Hokkaido will be made available in the Tokyo metropolitan area as well, which will help alleviate the tight supply and demand of electricity.

Aiming to start operation in the 2030s

In the metropolitan area, which consumes a lot of electricity, supply and demand tends to be tight every summer and winter, so the challenge is how to increase supply from other regions.

Under these circumstances, the Ministry of Economy, trade and industry decided on July 13^th a policy to newly develop a transmission line for sending electricity from Hokkaido to the metropolitan area and concretely became Oct (Electricity Wide Area Operation Promotion Organization) that regulates the supply and demand of electricity nationwide.

Transmission lines connect Hokkaido and the Tokyo metropolitan area through the seabed of the Sea of ​​Japan, enabling the transmission of up to 2 million kilowatts of electricity.

In response to the request, Oct will formulate a plan over the next two years, aiming to start operation in the 2030s.

Between Hokkaido and Honshu, there is a power transmission facility called an "interconnection line" that exchanges power between regions, but currently it can only send power up to 900,000 kilowatts.

In Hokkaido, it is expected that the power generation of renewable energy such as wind power and solar power will increase, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has decided to improve the power supply and demand in the metropolitan area by constructing a new transmission line.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20220714/k10013716501000.html