TEPCO Initiates EIA for Proposed 420 MW Offshore Wind Farm in Japan

TEPCO Renewable Power has started the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process for a proposed offshore wind farm of up to 420 MW off Choshi City in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The project is planned within an approximately 40 km² designated offshore wind development area and could feature 21–27 turbines, each with a capacity of 15–20 MW. The move is significant because the Choshi site was previously awarded to a Mitsubishi-led consortium during Japan’s first offshore wind auction, but the consortium later withdrew, prompting the government to consider re-tendering the area. TEPCO’s decision to begin the EIA indicates that it may seek to participate in the upcoming re-tender.

The proposed development is considerably larger in turbine size and more streamlined in design than an earlier TEPCO plan for the same area. In 2019, TEPCO had considered a project of up to 370 MW using as many as 72 smaller turbines, but withdrew from the previous bidding process in 2022 after its joint bid with Ørsted was unsuccessful. Under the new plan, construction could begin from 2031 onward, with commercial operations potentially starting from 2032, subject to environmental reviews, permitting and the outcome of the re-tender. The project would therefore represent TEPCO’s renewed attempt to establish a large-scale offshore wind presence in the Choshi area.