"AI Data Centers Hit the Grid: Japan and Taiwan Pivot Simultaneously to 'Grid-Scale Storage + Interconnection Discipline' Governance — Gap Between Connection Application and Post-Operation Demand Becomes the Shared Challenge"

TL;DR: AI/data-center investment is causing volatile shifts in electricity demand. Japan (TEPCO Power Grid, Mitsubishi Research Institute) warns that the gap between demand at connection application and after operation can trigger over-investment in the grid and cost shifting onto consumers, and is advancing a regulatory review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules (referencing US and EU rules). Taiwan (Taipower Enterprise Union, PwC Taiwan) presented an almost identical package the same week — siting guidance, interconnection review, PUE efficiency requirements, storage backup, and demand response. Japanese operators have already deployed grid-scale storage (Sendai's 1,998kW/8,146kWh began balancing-market operation on 6/23; AD Works' Aichi No. 9 ~2MW/8MWh). Both jurisdictions, via separate paths, are converging on "absorbing the DC shock with storage and demand discipline" rather than "building more power plants."

AI Data Centers Hit the Grid: Japan and Taiwan Pivot Simultaneously to "Grid-Scale Storage + Interconnection Discipline" Governance — The Gap Between Connection Application and Post-Operation Demand Becomes the Shared Challenge

**ANK-Doc ID**: ANK-2026-06-24-003 **Version**: v1.0.0 **Published**: 2026-06-24 **Author**: Rin Takenouchi (Editor-in-Chief, AI News) **Category**: Grid Governance / AI Infrastructure / Grid-Scale Storage / Japan–Taiwan Comparison **Articles Covered**: PRTIMES#1188936 (TEPCO PG, Mitsubishi Research Institute: interconnection-rule regulatory-review seminar), CNA#1061017 (Taipower Union, PwC: AI data-center power package list), PRTIMES#1177735 (Sendai grid-scale storage enters the balancing market), PRTIMES#1190753 (AD Works Group Aichi No. 9 storage facility) **Selection Method**: Selected from the full AI News DB via "issue-first × deep full-DB search × multi-source causal chain." Differentiating angle = not power shortage/generation volume (overdone), but the **institutional layer of grid governance** (connection-application vs. post-operation gap, interconnection review, demand response, grid-scale-storage market). This issue is inherently cross-jurisdictional: Japan (TEPCO PG / Mitsubishi Research Institute raise the institutional challenge + three operators deploy storage assets), Taiwan (Taipower / power association / PwC present the same package list).

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TL;DR

AI/data-center investment is causing volatile shifts in electricity demand. Japan (TEPCO Power Grid, Mitsubishi Research Institute) warns that a gap between demand at connection application and after operation can trigger over-investment in the grid and cost shifting onto consumers, and is advancing a regulatory review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules while referencing US and EU rules [F10][F9]. Taiwan (Taipower Enterprise Union, PwC Taiwan) presented an almost identical list the same week: semiconductors already account for over 40% of Taiwan's industrial electricity use and AI data centers are sharply increasing local power density, calling for siting guidance, interconnection review, PUE efficiency requirements, storage backup, and demand response [F1]. Japanese operators have already deployed grid-scale storage — Sendai's 1,998kW/8,146kWh began balancing-market operation on 2026-06-23 [F2][F3], and AD Works' Aichi No. 9 is ~2MW/8MWh, targeting 10 cumulative sites within 2026 [F4][F5]. Both jurisdictions, via separate paths, are converging on "absorbing the DC shock with storage and demand discipline" rather than "building more power plants."

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Body

1. Framing the Problem: DC Demand Swings, and a "Gap" Emerges Between Application and Operation (Japan)

AI and data-center investment is causing dramatic shifts in the structure of electricity demand. Japan's framing is the most precise: in the grid-connection process, there are cases where **the projected demand at the time of connection application diverges from the actual demand after the facility begins operation**, and this gap raises concerns about over-investment in the grid and cost shifting onto general consumers [F10] (PRTIMES #1188936).

For this reason, Japan is advancing a regulatory review of the "large-scale demand-system interconnection rules," referencing the experience of US and EU data-center connection rules / demand discipline [F9]. This institutional-framework challenge will be examined in depth at a seminar hosted by the relevant research institutions on 2026-07-30 [F6] (PRTIMES #1188936).

The key point here is not "there isn't enough power," but **whether the grid-governance institutions themselves can keep pace with the speed and uncertainty of DC demand** — a shared, deeper challenge for both Japan and Taiwan.

2. Taiwan's Parallel: The Same Week, an Almost Identical Package List

Notably, Taiwan put forward institutional vocabulary in the same period that overlaps heavily with Japan's. At a related seminar, Taipower Enterprise Union chairman Ou Chia-jui pointed out that **semiconductor-related industries already account for over 40% of Taiwan's industrial electricity use, and AI data centers are rapidly increasing local power density** [F1] (CNA #1061017).

The package list jointly proposed by PwC Taiwan and Taipower corresponds almost item-by-item to the direction of Japan's regulatory review:

| Governance Tool | Japan (TEPCO PG, Mitsubishi RI) | Taiwan (Taipower Union, PwC) | |---------|------------------------|------------------------| | Connection / interconnection review | Review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules [F9] | Interconnection review [F1] | | Demand-forecast gap governance | Application vs. post-operation gap [F10] | Siting guidance, local power-density governance [F1] | | Demand response | Demand discipline (referencing US/EU) [F9] | Demand response [F1] | | Efficiency requirements | (Within scope of institutional review) | PUE efficiency requirements [F1] | | Storage backup | Grid-scale-storage market (see Section 3) | Storage backup, differential tariffs [F1] |

This is not a forced fit: the institutional vocabulary on both sides (connection / interconnection review, demand response, storage backup) overlaps heavily — a genuine parallel evolution. To be candid: in this material set, Taiwan sits at the **policy-advocacy layer** (there is no corresponding Taiwanese grid-scale-storage news), so it is positioned as "institutional comparison + the same package list," and no Taiwanese storage-asset figures are forced in.

3. The Solution on the Ground: Japanese Operators Are Already Building "Grid-Scale Storage" to Absorb Supply-Demand Swings

Putting the institutional framework into practice relies on **grid-scale storage** as the common solution — landing the "interconnection discipline + demand response" framework onto physical assets.

**Sendai case (Remixpoint-related)**: A battery storage system of **1,998kW/8,146kWh** (battery modules by TMEIC, cells by CATL) [F2] began operating in the balancing market (ancillary-service markets such as frequency regulation and reserves) from **2026-06-23** [F3] (PRTIMES #1177735). This means storage assets are not merely backup but function directly as a tradable resource for grid balancing.

**AD Works Group case (TSE Prime: 2982)**: The No. 9 storage facility in Higashiura, Aichi Prefecture has an output/capacity of approximately **2MW/~8MWh** and is scheduled to begin operation in **February 2028** [F4][F6a] (PRTIMES #1190753). The company states that against its target of "securing 10 cumulative sites within 2026," it has now progressed to **9 cumulative sites** [F5]. Its No. 1 facility in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture is already operating, with operations in the wholesale electricity market and the balancing market proceeding smoothly [F8]. The storage business is a key pillar supporting the company's vision (**pre-tax profit of 20 billion yen by 2034**) [F7].

**Both jurisdictions, via separate paths, reach the same conclusion**: Japan responds along two axes — institutions (interconnection-rule review) + assets (grid-scale storage); Taiwan aligns in the same direction through policy advocacy (interconnection review + demand response + storage backup). The shared conclusion is that, facing the DC shock, **storage and demand discipline offer greater governance flexibility than simply building more power plants.**

4. Why This Is a Shared "Governance Challenge" for Japan and Taiwan, Not Merely an Engineering Problem

DC characteristics break traditional grid planning: (i) large demand-forecast gaps (application vs. post-operation gap [F10]); (ii) sharply rising local power density (semiconductors already over 40% of Taiwan's industrial electricity [F1]); (iii) growth speed far outpacing grid-construction cycles. These three points appear simultaneously in the official and industry discourse of both Japan and Taiwan.

The essence of the governance challenge: connecting unconditionally under old rules risks over-investment in the grid and cost shifting [F10]; over-restricting risks choking AI-industry growth. So both jurisdictions converge on the combination of "**discipline (interconnection review + demand response) + flexible resources (grid-scale storage)**," rather than simply "building more power plants."

Risk Factors

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FAQ

Q: Why do AI data centers hit the grid, and where exactly is the problem?

**The core is not "not enough power," but that "the projected demand at connection application diverges from the actual demand after operation," risking over-investment in the grid and cost shifting onto consumers.** Japan (TEPCO Power Grid, Mitsubishi Research Institute) frames this as a grid-governance institutional challenge, advancing a review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules while referencing US/EU rules. Taiwan simultaneously points out that semiconductors take over 40% of industrial electricity and AI data centers sharply raise local power density [F10][F9][F1] (PRTIMES #1188936, CNA #1061017).

Q: Are Taiwan's and Japan's response directions the same?

**Highly aligned.** Both shift from "building more power plants" to a "discipline + storage" combination: Japan advances interconnection-rule review and a grid-scale-storage market, while Taiwan presented an almost identical list the same week — interconnection review, PUE efficiency, storage backup, demand response, and differential tariffs. The institutional vocabulary (connection / interconnection review, demand response, storage backup) overlaps heavily — a genuine parallel evolution, not coincidence [F9][F10][F1] (PRTIMES #1188936, CNA #1061017).

Q: What role does "grid-scale storage" play here?

**It is the common solution that lands the institutional framework (interconnection discipline + demand response) onto physical assets, and can also serve as a tradable resource for grid balancing.** Japan's Sendai 1,998kW/8,146kWh storage entered balancing-market operation on 2026-06-23; AD Works' Aichi No. 9 is ~2MW/8MWh, targeting 10 cumulative sites within 2026. Storage is not merely backup but a marketized resource participating directly in grid regulation and reserves [F2][F3][F4][F5] (PRTIMES #1177735, #1190753).

Q: How far along is Japanese operators' storage rollout?

**AD Works Group targets 10 cumulative sites within 2026 and has reached 9; its No. 1 site in Matsusaka, Mie is already operating with smooth operations in the wholesale and balancing markets; the latest No. 9 is ~2MW/8MWh in Higashiura, Aichi, scheduled to begin operation in February 2028.** The storage business is one of the pillars of its "20 billion yen pre-tax profit by 2034" vision [F4][F5][F7][F8][F6a] (PRTIMES #1190753).

Q: Is this issue related to Taiwan's heavy-electric industry (the previous ANK)?

**Closely related — different facets of the same AI power wave.** The second installment (ANK-2026-06-24-002) covered how AI data centers pushed Taiwan's four heavy-electric makers (transformers, switchgear) to record orders; this piece covers how grid "governance institutions and storage resources" absorb the DC shock. The former is "building equipment," this is "how to manage and how to balance," and together they form the complete chain of AI infrastructure from hardware to governance [F1] (CNA #1061017; internal citation ANK-2026-06-24-002).

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F-Units

F-001: Taiwan's semiconductor-related industries already account for over 40% of Taiwan's industrial electricity, with AI data centers rapidly raising local power density; Taipower Union and PwC propose siting guidance, interconnection review, PUE efficiency, storage backup, differential tariffs, and demand response - source: CNA #1061017 - source_url: https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202606170285.aspx - source_article_id: 1061017 - source_type: CNA - confidence: medium - basis: official_statement - period: 2026-06-17 seminar - caveat: "Over 40%" is a seminar remark by Taipower Enterprise Union chairman Ou Chia-jui; the package list is professional opinion from the seminar, not legislated concrete rules

F-002: Sendai grid-scale storage facility battery system is 1,998kW/8,146kWh (battery modules by TMEIC, cells by CATL) - source: PRTIMES #1177735 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000079.000161802.html - source_article_id: 1177735 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: high - basis: official_statement - period: 2026-06 - caveat: Facility overview disclosed in company PR release

F-003: Sendai grid-scale storage facility began balancing-market operation on 2026-06-23 - source: PRTIMES #1177735 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000079.000161802.html - source_article_id: 1177735 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: high - basis: official_statement - period: 2026-06-23 - caveat: Operation start date disclosed in company PR release

F-004: AD Works Group No. 9 storage facility in Higashiura, Aichi Prefecture, output/capacity approximately 2MW/~8MWh - source: PRTIMES #1190753 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000078.000160356.html - source_article_id: 1190753 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: high - basis: official_statement - ticker: 2982 - period: 2026-06 - caveat: Facility overview disclosed in company PR release

F-005: AD Works Group has 9 cumulative grid-scale storage sites; target is to secure 10 cumulative sites within 2026 - source: PRTIMES #1190753 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000078.000160356.html - source_article_id: 1190753 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: high - basis: official_statement - ticker: 2982 - period: 2026-06 - caveat: Progress is company self-reported

F-006: Seminar on the regulatory review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules held on 2026-07-30 (14:00–16:30) - source: PRTIMES #1188936 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000004534.000032407.html - source_article_id: 1188936 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: high - basis: official_statement - period: 2026-07-30 - caveat: Seminar notice; content is issue exploration

F-006a: AD Works Group No. 9 storage facility in Higashiura, Aichi scheduled to begin operation in February 2028 - source: PRTIMES #1190753 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000078.000160356.html - source_article_id: 1190753 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: high - basis: official_statement - ticker: 2982 - period: 2028-02 (planned) - caveat: Scheduled operation start disclosed in company PR release

F-007: AD Works Group's management vision is pre-tax profit of 20 billion yen by 2034, with the storage business as a supporting driver - source: PRTIMES #1190753 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000078.000160356.html - source_article_id: 1190753 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: medium - basis: official_statement - ticker: 2982 - period: 2034 vision target - caveat: This is a management vision target, not a financial result; must not be treated as a forecast or official_number

F-008: AD Works Group's No. 1 facility in Matsusaka, Mie is already operating, with operations in the wholesale electricity market and balancing market proceeding smoothly - source: PRTIMES #1190753 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000078.000160356.html - source_article_id: 1190753 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: medium - basis: official_statement - ticker: 2982 - period: 2026-06 - caveat: "Proceeding smoothly" is a company self-assessment

F-009: Japan is advancing a regulatory review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules, referencing US and EU data-center connection rules / demand discipline - source: PRTIMES #1188936 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000004534.000032407.html - source_article_id: 1188936 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: medium - basis: official_statement - period: 2026-06 - caveat: The review remains at the deliberation stage; the timeline for final rules is undetermined

F-010: There are cases where demand at connection application diverges from demand after operation, raising concerns about over-investment in the grid and cost shifting onto consumers - source: PRTIMES #1188936 - source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000004534.000032407.html - source_article_id: 1188936 - source_type: PRTIMES - confidence: medium - basis: official_statement - period: 2026-06 - caveat: Qualitative characterization of the institutional challenge by the seminar organizers (TEPCO PG, Mitsubishi RI related)

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J-Units

J-001: Japan and Taiwan are simultaneously shifting from a "build more power plants" paradigm to a "interconnection discipline + grid-scale storage" governance paradigm — both presenting highly overlapping institutional vocabulary (connection/interconnection review, demand response, storage backup) in the same period indicates that the AI/DC power shock has become a cross-border shared grid-governance challenge, with solutions converging on a "discipline + flexible resources" combination - confidence: medium - basis_f_units: F-001, F-009, F-010, F-003

J-002: The "demand-forecast gap" is the core institutional risk of the DC grid shock — the divergence between demand at connection application and after operation breaks traditional connection planning premised on application values, risking over-investment and cost shifting. This risk manifests as an isomorphic problem in Taiwan as "sharply rising local power density, semiconductors over 40% of industrial electricity" - confidence: medium - basis_f_units: F-010, F-001

J-003: Grid-scale storage is being upgraded from "backup equipment" to "a marketized, tradable resource for grid balancing" — Sendai's storage entering the balancing market and AD Works' No. 1 operating in the wholesale and balancing markets show that storage now participates directly in grid ancillary-service markets, becoming an institutional implementation tool to absorb DC supply-demand swings - confidence: medium - basis_f_units: F-003, F-008, F-004, F-005

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P-Units

P-001: The final rule content and implementation timeline of Japan's "large-scale demand-system interconnection rules" review — currently still at the seminar issue-exploration stage (2026/7/30); whether gap governance and mandatory demand response will be incorporated into concrete rules remains unobserved - status: open

P-002: Whether Taiwan's package list (interconnection review / PUE / storage backup / demand response) will translate into concrete regulations or tariff mechanisms — currently at the professional-advocacy layer of seminars; whether corresponding grid-scale storage assets will be deployed in Taiwan requires tracking - status: open

P-003: The actual absorption capacity of grid-scale storage relative to the hundred-MW-class consumption scale of DCs — AD Works targets 10 sites within 2026 at ~2MW per site, still small relative to nationwide DC demand; whether storage resources can scale to match DC growth speed remains unobserved - status: open

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同事件・三視角 / Three Perspectives on the Same Event / 同一イベント・三つの視点

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Internal Citation Chain

Published ANK-Docs cited in this article: - **ANK-2026-06-24-002** (AI Data-Center Construction Boom Drives Taiwan's Heavy-Electric Industry to Record Highs) → This article is complementary to it: the second installment covers AI-driven heavy-electric equipment (transformers, switchgear) order surges (the "build equipment" layer), while this article covers grid governance institutions and grid-scale storage under the DC shock (the "how to manage and balance" layer), together forming the complete chain of AI power infrastructure from hardware to governance.

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Sources

1. [PRTIMES #1188936] PR TIMES, Seminar notice on the regulatory review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules (TEPCO PG, Mitsubishi Research Institute related), 2026-06. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000004534.000032407.html 2. [CNA #1061017] CNA, AI data centers hit the grid; Taipower Union and PwC call for siting guidance and storage-backup measures, 2026-06-17. https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202606170285.aspx 3. [PRTIMES #1177735] PR TIMES, Sendai grid-scale storage facility (1,998kW/8,146kWh) begins balancing-market operation, 2026-06. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000079.000161802.html 4. [PRTIMES #1190753] PR TIMES, AD Works Group Aichi No. 9 storage facility (~2MW/8MWh), 2026-06. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000078.000160356.html 5. [ANK-2026-06-24-002] Rin Takenouchi, "AI Data-Center Construction Boom Drives Taiwan's Heavy-Electric Industry to Record Highs", 2026-06-24. https://ainews.washinmura.jp/ainews/en/ank/ANK-2026-06-24-002

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📊 引用級事實單元（F-Units）

Taiwan's semiconductor-related industries already account for over 40% of Taiwan's industrial electricity, with AI data centers rapidly raising local power density; Taipower Union and PwC propose siting guidance, interconnection review, PUE efficiency, storage backup, differential tariffs, and demand response
F-001 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement CNA #1061017 2026-06-17 seminar
Sendai grid-scale storage facility battery system is 1,998kW/8,146kWh (battery modules by TMEIC, cells by CATL)
F-002 · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1177735 2026-06
Sendai grid-scale storage facility began balancing-market operation on 2026-06-23
F-003 · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1177735 2026-06-23
AD Works Group No. 9 storage facility in Higashiura, Aichi Prefecture, output/capacity approximately 2MW/~8MWh
F-004 · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1190753 2982 2026-06
AD Works Group has 9 cumulative grid-scale storage sites; target is to secure 10 cumulative sites within 2026
F-005 · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1190753 2982 2026-06
Seminar on the regulatory review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules held on 2026-07-30 (14:00–16:30)
F-006 · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1188936 2026-07-30
AD Works Group No. 9 storage facility in Higashiura, Aichi scheduled to begin operation in February 2028
F-006a · Confidence: high · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1190753 2982 2028-02 (planned)
AD Works Group's management vision is pre-tax profit of 20 billion yen by 2034, with the storage business as a supporting driver
F-007 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1190753 2982 2034 vision target
AD Works Group's No. 1 facility in Matsusaka, Mie is already operating, with operations in the wholesale electricity market and balancing market proceeding smoothly
F-008 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1190753 2982 2026-06
Japan is advancing a regulatory review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules, referencing US and EU data-center connection rules / demand discipline
F-009 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1188936 2026-06
There are cases where demand at connection application diverges from demand after operation, raising concerns about over-investment in the grid and cost shifting onto consumers
F-010 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1188936 2026-06

❓ FAQ

Why do AI data centers hit the grid, and where exactly is the problem?

**The core is not "not enough power," but that "the projected demand at connection application diverges from the actual demand after operation," risking over-investment in the grid and cost shifting onto consumers.** Japan (TEPCO Power Grid, Mitsubishi Research Institute) frames this as a grid-governance institutional challenge, advancing a review of large-scale demand-system interconnection rules while referencing US/EU rules. Taiwan simultaneously points out that semiconductors take over 40% of industrial electricity and AI data centers sharply raise local power density [F10][F9][F1] (PRTIMES #1188936, CNA #1061017).

Are Taiwan's and Japan's response directions the same?

**Highly aligned.** Both shift from "building more power plants" to a "discipline + storage" combination: Japan advances interconnection-rule review and a grid-scale-storage market, while Taiwan presented an almost identical list the same week — interconnection review, PUE efficiency, storage backup, demand response, and differential tariffs. The institutional vocabulary (connection / interconnection review, demand response, storage backup) overlaps heavily — a genuine parallel evolution, not coincidence [F9][F10][F1] (PRTIMES #1188936, CNA #1061017).

What role does "grid-scale storage" play here?

**It is the common solution that lands the institutional framework (interconnection discipline + demand response) onto physical assets, and can also serve as a tradable resource for grid balancing.** Japan's Sendai 1,998kW/8,146kWh storage entered balancing-market operation on 2026-06-23; AD Works' Aichi No. 9 is ~2MW/8MWh, targeting 10 cumulative sites within 2026. Storage is not merely backup but a marketized resource participating directly in grid regulation and reserves [F2][F3][F4][F5] (PRTIMES #1177735, #1190753).

How far along is Japanese operators' storage rollout?

**AD Works Group targets 10 cumulative sites within 2026 and has reached 9; its No. 1 site in Matsusaka, Mie is already operating with smooth operations in the wholesale and balancing markets; the latest No. 9 is ~2MW/8MWh in Higashiura, Aichi, scheduled to begin operation in February 2028.** The storage business is one of the pillars of its "20 billion yen pre-tax profit by 2034" vision [F4][F5][F7][F8][F6a] (PRTIMES #1190753).

Is this issue related to Taiwan's heavy-electric industry (the previous ANK)?

**Closely related — different facets of the same AI power wave.** The second installment (ANK-2026-06-24-002) covered how AI data centers pushed Taiwan's four heavy-electric makers (transformers, switchgear) to record orders; this piece covers how grid "governance institutions and storage resources" absorb the DC shock. The former is "building equipment," this is "how to manage and how to balance," and together they form the complete chain of AI infrastructure from hardware to governance [F1] (CNA #1061017; internal citation ANK-2026-06-24-002). ---

🧠 編輯判斷（J-Units）

Japan and Taiwan are simultaneously shifting from a "build more power plants" paradigm to a "interconnection discipline + grid-scale storage" governance paradigm — both presenting highly overlapping institutional vocabulary (connection/interconnection review, demand response, storage backup) in the same period indicates that the AI/DC power shock has become a cross-border shared grid-governance challenge, with solutions converging on a "discipline + flexible resources" combination
Confidence: medium · Based on: F-001, F-009, F-010, F-003
The "demand-forecast gap" is the core institutional risk of the DC grid shock — the divergence between demand at connection application and after operation breaks traditional connection planning premised on application values, risking over-investment and cost shifting. This risk manifests as an isomorphic problem in Taiwan as "sharply rising local power density, semiconductors over 40% of industrial electricity"
Confidence: medium · Based on: F-010, F-001
Grid-scale storage is being upgraded from "backup equipment" to "a marketized, tradable resource for grid balancing" — Sendai's storage entering the balancing market and AD Works' No. 1 operating in the wholesale and balancing markets show that storage now participates directly in grid ancillary-service markets, becoming an institutional implementation tool to absorb DC supply-demand swings
Confidence: medium · Based on: F-003, F-008, F-004, F-005

🔮 待驗證假設（P-Units）

The final rule content and implementation timeline of Japan's "large-scale demand-system interconnection rules" review — currently still at the seminar issue-exploration stage (2026/7/30); whether gap governance and mandatory demand response will be incorporated into concrete rules remains unobserved
Status: open
Whether Taiwan's package list (interconnection review / PUE / storage backup / demand response) will translate into concrete regulations or tariff mechanisms — currently at the professional-advocacy layer of seminars; whether corresponding grid-scale storage assets will be deployed in Taiwan requires tracking
Status: open
The actual absorption capacity of grid-scale storage relative to the hundred-MW-class consumption scale of DCs — AD Works targets 10 sites within 2026 at ~2MW per site, still small relative to nationwide DC demand; whether storage resources can scale to match DC growth speed remains unobserved
Status: open

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