On Feb. 25, Kyushu Electric Power announced plans to upgrade the aging 12,500 kW Otake Geothermal Power Plant in Kokonoe, Oita Prefecture. The company expects to boost output to 15,000 kW by installing more efficient power generation equipment and plans to have the new facility online by 2019. In addition to the conventional method of drawing on underground steam to turn turbines, Kyuden will adopt a secondary power generation system that turns turbines with steam converted from hot water. The plant will provide enough electricity to power about 29,000 homes. Since a new well will not be drilled for this upgrade, the plant will suspend its operations for several months. Opened in 1967, Otake is the oldest geothermal plant in Japan. Nishinippon Shimbun, Feb. 26
