Publication date: Sept 20, 2024 Japan’s Master Plan for Cross-Regional Grid Coordination to Be Reviewed Amid Growing Power Demand

Japan’s Master Plan for Cross-Regional Grid Coordination to Be Reviewed Amid Growing Power Demand

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE) intend to consider reviewing the Long-Term Policy for Cross Regional Grid Coordination, also known as the “master plan for Cross Regional Grid Coordination,” which provides direction for the enhancement of Japan’s inter-regional and regional grids. The current master plan will be reconsidered in light of the contents of the forthcoming 7th Strategic Energy Plan, which is expected to be finalized by the end of FY2024.

The master plan was drawn up in March 2023 after two and a half years of discussions at the experts’ meeting of the Organization for Cross-Regional Coordination of Transmission Operators (OCCTO). It envisages the installation of high-voltage direct current (#HVDC) transmission between Hokkaido, Tohoku, and Tokyo, as well as plans to strengthen the transmission system between Kyushu and Chugoku with an estimated investment of between JPY6 and 7 trillion.
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Rising Demand Sparks Need for Grid Upgrades

The main reason for the review is an increase in the demand outlook, which affects the assumptions made in the master plan. There are a series of new construction plans for data centers and semiconductor plants, and according to the OCCTO, the maximum #power demand is expected to increase significantly between FY2024 and FY2033. In addition, applications for connecting storage #batteries to the grid are increasing rapidly.

If the revision takes place, ANRE would also be able to take into account the status of #renewable energy and #nuclear power introduction in light of the forthcoming Strategic Energy Plan and the outlook for the location of large-scale demand. The agency also intends to reinvestigate trends in the renewal and enhancement of inter-regional and regional grids.

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