JAPANESE WIND FARMS STILL POWERING

Battle-proof Wind Farms Survive Japan's Trial by Fire
Kelly Rigg, March 17, 2011 (Huffington Post)

"As the world collectively holds its breath to see how the Fukushima crisis plays out…there's a positive story which is not yet being reported…Despite assertions by its detractors that wind energy would not survive an earthquake or tsunami the Japanese wind industry is still functioning and helping to keep the lights on during the Fuksuhima crisis.

"…[According to] Yoshinori Ueda, leader of the International Committee of the Japan Wind Power Association & Japan Wind Energy Association…there has been no wind facility damage reported by any association members, from either the earthquake or the tsunami. Even the Kamisu semi-offshore wind farm, located about 300km from the epicenter of the quake, survived. Its anti-earthquake ‘battle proof design’ came through with flying colors."

Japanese mountain ridge wind farm, reportedly intact and operating (from Huffingon Post - click to enlarge)

"Mr. Ueda confirms that most Japanese wind turbines are fully operational…[and] electric companies have asked wind farm owners to step up operations as much as possible in order to make up for shortages in the eastern part of the country…"

Kamisu wind farm, 300 km from the epicenter and still producing (from Huffingon Post - click to enlarge)

[Eurus Energy Japan:] “174.9MW with eight wind farms (64% of their total capacity with 11 wind farms in eastern part of Japan) are in operation now. The residual three wind farms (Kamaishi 42.9MW, Takinekoshirai 46MW, Satomi 10.02MW) are stopped due to the grid failure caused by the earthquake and Tsunami. Satomi is to re-start operations in a few days. Kamaishi is notorious for tsunami disaster, but this wind farm is safe because it is located in the mountains about 900m high from sea level.”

"The largest wind farm operator in Japan, Eurus Energy with about 22% of all wind turbines in Japan, is a subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Company (TEPCO) which operates the Fukushima nuclear facility…[I]t is likely the company is very happy about its diversified portfolio…[S]hares in the Tokyo stock market have fallen…[but] the stock price of Japan Wind Development Co. Ltd. has risen from 31,500 yen on 11 March to 47,800 yen on 16 March…"