Coal-Fired Power Plants of Japan

At present, Japan ranks fifth in global electricity production. More than 30% of this energy is generated by coal-fired thermal power plants, which have produced approximately 321 TWh in 2022. The structure of coal-fired plants is analyzed by capacity, technology, service life, as well as by affiliations to a particular energy company. The present paper provides general data on contemporary highly efficient supercritical (SC) and ultra-supercritical (USC) units, the share of which in the coal power industry of Japan currently amounts to more than 76%, as well as on coal-fired thermal power plants with a capacity of 1000 MW and above. An overview of Japanese USC coal-fired power units and a description of combined-cycle technologies are given. The prospects for the development of coal-fired power plants in Japan are assessed.