Sumitomo to build 59.9-MW solar park in Fukushima

(May 23) - SeeNews - Japan’s Sumitomo Corp (TYO:8053) intends to build a 59.9-MW solar park in Minamisoma, Fukushima prefecture, investing JPY 22 billion (USD 201m/EUR 179m) in the project.

The trading company has hired domestic groups Toshiba Corp (TYO:6502) and Taisei Corp (TYO:1801) for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) works, Toshiba said on Friday. Financing will be provided by a consortium led by Japan’s Mizuho Bank Ltd.

The photovoltaic (PV) park will be situated in Migita/Ebi and Mano districts, which were affected by the Great East Japan earthquake in 2011. Construction started this month, while commercial operation is scheduled to begin in March 2018. Once operational, the facility will be able to power about 20,000 local homes, with its output to be sold to retail power firms under Japan’s feed-in tariff (FiT) programme.

The city of Minamisoma aims to meet almost 100% of its power needs from renewables by 2030.

(JPY 100 = USD 0.912/EUR 0.814)

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