Hokkaido Electric Power Company (Hokuden) and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) are pleased to announce today's launch of commercial operations at the Ainumanai Power Plant (Location: Yakumo-cho Futami-gun, Hokkaido). The plant, which shall be run by our joint venture company established in November 2021, Donan Hydroelectric LLC (Donan Hydro)¹, is the first to commence operations under our hydroelectric power alliance servicing Hokkaido's Donan region.

 

Donan Hydro will replace the 5 plants owned by Hokuden (Nanae Power Plant, Isoyagawa Daiichi Power Plant, Isoyagawa Daini Power Plant, Ainumanai Power Plant and Ono Power Plant), and commence power-generation after the replacement. Donan Hydro shall lease existing waterways and other facilities owned by Hokuden and continue to use existing infrastructure. Only aging facilities shall be replaced once they are decommissioned, and Donan Hydro's power-generation operations shall commence thereafter².

The remaining four plants in the region that are targeted by our alliance shall go online in stages once their replacement work has been completed.

 

MC and Hokuden are committed to leveraging Japan’s domestically produced energy resources. Recognizing its worth in the context of renewable energy, we shall endeavor to optimize hydropower generated by the Donan region’s valuable water resources and do our part to help Japan achieve carbon neutrality.

 

1. MC's Press Release (October 28, 2021)

2. MC's Press Release (May 24, 2022)

 

Based on the Three Corporate Principles, which serve as MC’s core philosophy, MC has continued to grow together with society by contributing to the sustainable development of society through its business activities while pursuing value creation. MC’s revised “Materiality” was announced in Midterm Corporate Strategy 2024 as a set of crucial societal issues that MC will prioritize through its business activities, towards the strategy’s goal of continuous creation of MC Shared Value (MCSV). Guided by this Materiality, MC will continue to strengthen its efforts towards sustainable corporate growth. Out of the six material issues relating to “Realizing a Carbon Neutral Society and Striving to Enrich Society Both Materially and Spiritually”, this project’s activities particularly support “Contributing to Decarbonized Societies” and “Promoting Stable, Sustainable Societies and Lifestyles”.