Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Energy), a leader in renewable energy and transmission infrastructure, and its affiliate in Japan, Green Power Investment Corporation (GPI), announced it has completed construction and begun operation at its 113 megawatt (MW) Sumita Tono Wind facility, in the mountainous area between the municipalities of Tono and Sumita, in Iwate Prefecture.
"Sumita Tono is a best-in-class facility that is now harnessing the strong westerly winds of the Kitakami Mountains to provide clean power for 47,000 households in Japan," said Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy. "We would like to thank Tono City, Sumita Town, and the local residents for their collaboration on this important clean energy project. Our philosophy is to work closely with local communities to create renewable energy projects. This is Pattern and GPI's fourth development project in Japan and we look forward to developing more sources of clean power throughout the country."
Sumita Tono Wind utilizes 27 Vestas 4.2 MW wind turbines. The project has a 20-year feed-in-tariff power purchase agreement with Tohoku Electric Power Network, Inc. for 100% of the power output. GPI and its affiliates will be responsible for the long-term operation and maintenance of the facility with Vestas providing wind turbine maintenance.
With the addition of Sumita Tono Wind, Pattern Energy has eight renewable energy facilities in Japan either operating or under construction, including four onshore wind power facilities and two solar power facilities in operation, and one offshore and one onshore wind power facility under construction.