Japan has activated the Matsukawa Phase 4 deep geothermal expansion in Hokkaido — the largest new geothermal power plant in Japan in 30 years, adding 120 megawatts of baseload clean electricity from superheated volcanic steam at 260 degrees Celsius rising naturally from the volcanic system underlying Hokkaido's mountainous interior.
The expansion drills 18 new production wells to depths of 1,500 to 2,200 meters into the Kakkonda volcanic hydrothermal reservoir, where natural volcanic heat maintains high-pressure steam without artificial enhancement. Each production well delivers 6 to 8 megawatts of steam energy, with flash steam plants converting geothermal steam to electricity at 23 percent thermal efficiency. Gravity reinjection wells return 95 percent of extracted brine to the reservoir, maintaining sustainable long-term pressure.
Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire with the world's third largest geothermal resource — an estimated 23,500 megawatts of undeveloped potential. The government lifted national park drilling restrictions in 2020, opening access to Japan's highest-quality resources. Hokkaido alone contains 3,000 megawatts of accessible undeveloped geothermal potential beyond this Phase 4 expansion project.
Source: Mitsubishi Power Japan, Japan Oil Gas and Metals National Corporation JOGMEC, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy Japan, 2025
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