Embassy of Japan
Press Release
June 13, 2017
Ambassador Sasae Dedicates Advanced Energy Facility in Maryland
Japanese Financing Supports Clean, Reliable Energy for the Mid-Atlantic Region
Ambassador of Japan to the United States Kenichiro Sasae today helped dedicate a new, highly efficient combined-cycle natural gas power generation facility in Waldorf, Maryland. The 725-megawatt St. Charles Energy Center, developed and operated by Competitive Power Ventures, Inc., commenced operations in March and provides clean, reliable electricity to the Mid-Atlantic region. Three Japanese companies – Marubeni Corporation, Toyota Tsusho Corporation and Osaka Gas – provided 25 percent of the total financing for this project.
“The St. Charles Energy Center is a prime example of how Japan is helping to power jobs and growth across America,” said Ambassador Sasae. “It will deliver reliable, affordable energy to families, farms and factories in Maryland and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region for decades to come. As this project makes clear, the economic partnership between the United States and Japan is thriving and will continue to benefit the people of both countries.”
Japan, the world’s second-largest developed country, has invested more than $400 billion in the United States, creating jobs and economic opportunity for American families. Japanese companies pay on average $80,000 per person, per year to U.S. workers. In Maryland, Japanese companies directly employ nearly 6,000 workers. Maryland also exports more than $1.2 billion in goods and services to Japan each year, which supports nearly 9,000 Maryland jobs.
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