Sumitomo Corp. to develop 32.3 MW in Fukushima

The 46-hectare site is located roughly 30 kilometres north of the country's nuclear exclusion zone, which has been uninhabitable since a tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi power plant on March 11, 2011.

Mizuho Bank is serving as lead arranger, with several unidentified lenders set to provide project financing for Solar Power Minamisoma-Haramachi, the special purpose company that will develop the array.

Toshiba and Tokyo-based general contractor Taisei will handle EPC duties, according to an online statement.

Taisei claims that its “T-Root method” of laying simple batter pile foundations for the mounts will reduce costs and shorten the amount of time needed to build the project.

Sumitomo aims to launch commercial operations in December 2018.

The array will cater to the needs of roughly 10,000 homes per year, with the electricity to be sold to retail power suppliers under Japan’s fixed-price purchasing system.

The Minamisoma municipal authorities want renewable energy account for nearly 100% of the city’s power consumption by 2030.

Last May, Sumitomo, Mizuho Bank, Toshiba and Taisei announced plans to build another solar project at a site north of Minamisoma.

The 59.9 MW array will start commercial operations in March 2018.

Sumitomo says it has invested in roughly 1 GW of renewable energy capacity throughout the world.