Enerbank’s Power Reverse Auction Service “Eneoku” Adopted for Public Facility Electricity Procurement in Iruma City, Saitama

Enerbank Co., Ltd. announced that its power reverse auction service “Eneoku” has been adopted for electricity procurement at public facilities in Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture. As part of its efforts to realize a decarbonized society, Iruma City began procuring electricity from effectively 100% renewable energy sources in April this year for 14 high-voltage facilities, including its comprehensive clean center and district centers, as well as 33 low-voltage facility contracts. By using Eneoku, Iruma City conducted a fair and highly transparent competitive bidding process to select retail electricity providers. This enabled the city to both reduce environmental impact and lower electricity costs. Enerbank said it will continue contributing to decarbonization efforts by local governments and companies through fair and transparent energy procurement supported by Eneoku. Enerbank’s support for Iruma City included free preparation and organization of draft specifications and electricity usage data for renewable electricity procurement, as well as free execution of the reverse auction. In one high-voltage group case, the auction results showed projected electricity costs of 179 million yen for fiscal 2026, compared with a standard electricity cost of 220 million yen calculated based on Tokyo Electric Power Company’s regular menu. This represents a reduction of approximately 41 million yen, or about 18.60%. The introduction of renewable electricity is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3,220 t-CO2. Auctions were conducted across five groups, and the figures above refer to one high-voltage group. Unlike ordinary bidding, where each company generally submits one bid, the reverse auction format allowed retail electricity providers to bid multiple times, helping the city secure a lower-cost renewable energy plan. Iruma City’s Eco Clean Policy Division commented that electricity procurement had become more difficult due to increasingly complex pricing structures caused by rising electricity prices. Through the reverse auction, the city received 17 bids from five companies and achieved both renewable energy adoption and cost reductions. During the evaluation phase for Eneoku, Enerbank provided concrete advice based on specialized expertise, helping the city clearly understand the complex procurement process and prepare smoothly. In addition to the reverse auction service, Enerbank also handled parts of the procurement work traditionally performed by municipal staff, such as calculating planned prices and preparing specifications, contributing to improved operational efficiency. Looking ahead, although renewable electricity tends to cost more than conventional electricity, Eneoku allows buyers to re-bid while viewing other companies’ bid prices, enabling procurement at appropriate prices. As electricity market prices rise and rate structures become more complex, Enerbank will use its digital solutions to support efficient electricity procurement. The company will continue strengthening collaboration with local governments across Japan and support zero-carbon city initiatives through Eneoku and Green Ticket.