Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has started a seabed survey offshore Japan to ascertain the bedrock structure of the seabed for a possible offshore wind farm.
The survey is conducted off the coast of municipalities of Choshi, Asahi, Sosa and Yokoshibahikari in Chiba Prefecture.
The boring survey will last until the end of January 2019. TEPCO will also conduct sonic prospecting offshore of the municipalities of Choshi, Asahi, Sosa and Yokoshibahikari in the same period.
TEPCO is moving forward with domestic and overseas offshore wind power projects and overseas hydroelectric power projects, aiming to develop renewable energy sources as primary sources of power. The company’s target is eventually to produce two to three million kilowatts (kW) of power from its domestic offshore wind power projects.
TEPCO began conducting offshore research off the coast of Choshi in August 2009 under a public initiative organized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). In the years since, TEPCO has surveyed weather conditions, sea life and the potential environmental impact of offshore structures in the area.
Also, since January 2013, TEPCO and NEDO have been testing Japan’s first offshore wind power generation facility, a fixed-foundation offshore turbine with a rated power of 2,400 kW, located 3.1 km south of Choshi.
The test has provided TEPCO with valuable experience in facility operation and maintenance as well as equipment safety and resistance to corrosion and other conditions. As a result, TEPCO has confirmed that the fairly shallow depths and high winds along the Chiba coast offer excellent conditions for an offshore wind farm.