Oct. 01, 2025Marubeni Corporation
Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, “Marubeni”) has established Marubeni Power Trading Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “Marubeni Power Trading”) as a 50/50 joint venture between two wholly-owned subsidiaries of Marubeni: Marubeni Power Retail Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “MPR”) and SmartestEnergy Limited (hereinafter, “SEL”), which conducts power wholesale and retail operations in the UK, commencing power trading operations in Japan (hereinafter, the “project”).
Power demand in Japan is expected to increase significantly in the future due to the establishment and expansion of large-scale power-consuming facilities such as data centers and semiconductor factories. At the same time, the increase in adoption of renewable energy has resulted in the need for advanced adjustment capabilities in supply-demand balance (such as by region, time zone, and season) in the power industry. Additionally, stabilizing power prices, which are greatly affected by fluctuations in supply-demand and imported fuel prices, is an important issue. To mitigate price fluctuation risks and maintain a stable supply-demand balance, the importance of power trading functions—including power futures trading—and their market scale have been increasing year by year.
MPR was established in 2011 based on Marubeni’s electric power retail business, which it has been engaged in since 2000. It currently holds the fourth largest market share in retail power sales in Japan*1. Meanwhile, SEL, established in the UK in 2001, is involved in electric power wholesale and retail businesses, as well as trading operations, and is the third largest provider in the UK’s commercial and industrial electricity services market, holding a 10% market share*2. Marubeni Power Trading combines MPR’s customer base in Japan with SEL’s expertise in power trading with the aim to advance the power trading business in the Japanese market, where market size and liquidity are expected to expand in the future, contributing to the stabilization of electricity prices.
In its Mid-Term Management Strategy (GC2027), Marubeni is focusing on Strategic Platform Businesses (businesses with “Growth Domains x High Added Value x Scalability”). This project involves refining and expanding the wholesale and retail power business, which is one such strategic platform business. Through this project, Marubeni aims to enhance its corporate value by promoting a trading business that contributes to the stabilization of power prices in the Japanese power market, where demand is expected to increase in the future.
*1 Source: Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Energy Supply and Demand Report as of the end of March 2025)*2 Source: Cornwall Insight (Business Retail Market Share Report)
