TOKYO, Oct. 21 (Kyodo) — Six Japanese firms, including Mitsui Chemicals Inc. and Toshiba Corp., said Friday they have reached a basic agreement on a project to build a "mega solar" power plant and a wind power plant in Tahara, Aichi Prefecture.
The solar power plant with a 50-megawatt capacity and the 6-megawatt wind power plant will be built on a site owned by Mitsui Chemicals for a total investment of about 18 billion yen, with plans for operations to begin in 2013.
The electricity generated from the facility, Japan's largest for solar and wind power generation, will be sold in its entirety to Chubu Electric Power Co.
The six participating firms also include Mitsui & Co., Toagosei Co., Toray Industries Inc. and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. They are also asking Chubu Electric to join in the project.
The project will generate electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of about 19,000 households, which correspond to about 90 percent of households in Tahara.
The business will run for 18 years and may be extended if it turns a profit, they said.