Hitachi wins Kashima Port South re-tender

JAPAN: The Ibaraki Prefectural Government has announced that a consortium formed by the Windpower Energy Group and Hitachi Windpower have been selected to take over the Kashima Port South offshore wind project.

Hitachi Windpower will partner the Windpower Energy Group at the Kashima Port project (pic: Onyo at WTS Wikivoyage)

The project will comprise 18 Hitachi 5.2MW turbines for a total output of 93.6MW, over an area of approximately 3.4km2 at a cost of approximately JPY49 billion (US$432 million).

Permission has been granted for 20 years.

The result followed the reopening of bidding for the project after Marubeni Corporation withdrew in January, citing wind power estimates that fell short of required investment targets.

Marubeni was originally selected to develop the southern part of the port area in August 2012.

It marks the second case of bidding based on the revised Port and Harbor Law that opens up previously restricted port areas to wind-power development.