Mitsubishi and Kyushu Electric get approval to explore geothermal power project in Japan

Mitsubishi and Japan based Kyushu Electric Power (KEPCO) have received authorisation to explore a plan to construct a geothermal power plant in Minamiaso Village, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.

The companies entered into an agreement back in 2013 under which they agreed to carry out surveys on geothermal power.

MC and KEPCO submitted the proposal to Minamiaso village, which included the village’s regulation for effective utilisation of geothermal resources.

The proposal was submitted to Minamiaso village on 14 January, 2015.

The companies are planning to take up surface investigation to understand the subsurface structure of the site, along with the condition of the surrounding hot spring and how the conditions have changed over time.

MC and KEPCO are planning to develop geothermal resources in the village including excavation of exploration wells only if the findings reveal that the subsurface structure has enough geothermal resources for exploration.

The companies are also planning to develop a subsurface structure model from the data collected through the gravitational and electromagnetic investigation.

As part of the investigation, the companies will conduct gravitational investigation and electromagnetic investigation, which is aimed at finding the distribution of rocks underground that are transformed by the hot water.