The Efforts for Sustainable Steam Production and Electrical Power Generation in the Matsukawa Geothermal Field

Abstract

This paper reports successful operation of the Matsukawa geothermal power plant since 1966. This includes a summary of the production and electrical power records of the power plant. The wells and reservoir have shown a very slow decline, which is a result of appropriate station sizing and adequate operational criteria. The power plant was sized only to meet the demand of the company's factory for its in-house electric use, instead of full utilization of the resource. The power plant has been operated so as to maximize the profit instead of insisting on operating continuously at full power. A proper understanding of the reservoir based on some chemical and physical monitoring data has helped to maintain stable operation. Station sizing (23.5 MWe since 1993) appears to be the most important factor in the successful development and operation of the Matsukawa geothermal field.