No. 349: Building a gas station resistant to a disaster (November 12, 2011)

After the Fukushima disaster, many companies are busily occupied with formulating measures for a possible disaster in the future. In view of the gasoline shortage that people in the disaster-affected area experienced, the JX Group will build disaster-resistant gas stations across the country. In addition to being a gas station, the new type gas station is expected to be disaster-prevention facilities for the community. The store is a two–story building, and equipped with an emergency generator with a capacity of 70 kW to supply power for lighting and fueling, and a fuel cell. New watertight fuel equipment, which is under development in alliance with equipment maker, will also be installed to allow for fueling in a disaster.  

The store building is about 7 m high, and the rooftop will be used for the evacuation center of employees and residents of the community. A water tank with a capacity of 4,000 liters and charging equipment for mobile phones will also be installed. It will be possible to heat water pumped up from a well using the fuel cell. The new type gas station costs 1.5 times more than the conventional gas station that needs an investment of about 100 million yen. The company will build this type gas station in the 12 locations specified as possible tsunami victims in the future by the government. The first gas station of the new type will be open next March in the disaster-stricken area.