On February 8, a groundbreaking ceremony for the Kawasaki Natural Gas Power Station (Output around 400MW, M701F gas turbine combined cycle × 2 units) was held in Kawasaki City, Japan.
The plant will be constructed for Kawasaki Natural Gas Generation Co., Ltd., a company established jointly by Nippon Oil Corporation (51% holding) and Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. (49% holding), and serve as a retail power source for power producer and supplier.
MHI has signed a turnkey contract for the project, to include all earthworks and construction. Overall project supervision and construction of the gas turbines will be implemented by MHI's Takasago Machinery Works, while the heat recovery steam generator will be constructed by Nagasaki Shipyard and Machinery Works.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held under sunny skies in the presence of around 100 guests including Nippon Oil Corporation President, Tokyo Gas Co., President, Kawasaki Natural Gas Generation President and representatives of various local residents associations. President and Takasago Machinery Works General Manager represented MHI at the ceremony to pray for the safe completion of the construction work.

Kawasaki City Mayor attended the reception following the ceremony telling guests that he was ' very much looking forward to the completion of this environmentally-friendly gas turbine power station. '

Work on the project is about to begin in earnest. The first unit is scheduled to go on-line in April 2008. The second unit is scheduled to go on-line in October of the same year.