Japan: Tokyo Gas to Start Construction on Hitachi LNG Terminal

Tokyo Gas signed a contract regarding the sale and purchase of the planned construction site of “Hitachi LNG Terminal” which is under preparation for the commencement in FY2015, with the site owner, Ibaraki prefecture.

Tokyo Gas is to follow necessary procedures for the site take-over and to start construction work for the Terminal in late July, 2012.

Tokyo Gas is now advancing the plan to construct “Hitachi LNG Terminal” in Ibaraki port, Hitachi district, Hitachi city, Ibaraki pref. and to install “Ibaraki-Tochigi Line” to connect the Terminal to the existing pipeline in Moka city, Tochigi-pref., by FY2015. This plan was positioned as a part of aggressive expansion of the fundamental infrastructure for future growth in the Tokyo Gas group’s mid-term management plan from FY2009 to FY2013. Under the Challenge 2020 Vision formulated last November, this Plan is positioned as one of main pillars of the production and supply infrastructure to deal with the increased demand for natural gas toward 2020, and also recognized to improve the stability of overall supply infrastructure by linking the Terminal with the existing three terminals in Tokyo bay.

The modification of port and harbor plan of Hitachi district was publicly announced in the Ibaraki prefectural bulletin and LNG terminal was positioned in the 5th pier of Hitachi district last December. Then, Ibaraki pref. recruited a purchaser for the planned construction site this March, where Tokyo Gas handed in an application.

On June 15, Ibaraki prefectural assembly gave an approval for the sale and purchase contract of the planned construction site between Tokyo Gas and Ibaraki prefecture, and both Tokyo Gas and Ibaraki prefecture concluded officially the sale and purchase contract on the same day.

Tokyo Gas plans to start construction work of the Terminal in late July and aims to commence operations in FY2015, with “Ibaraki-Tochigi Line”, which has already been under construction from the side of Tochigi pref. since January, 2012.

[mappress]

LNG World News Staff, June 19, 2012; Image: Tokyo Gas