Shikoku Electric to remove fuel from Ikata nuclear reactor, a first since MOX work began in 1997
Shikoku Electric Power Co. said Thursday that it will suspend operations of the No. 3 reactor at its Ikata nuclear power plant on Dec. 26 for routine checkups and remove spent mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel from the reactor. This will mark the first removal of used ...
Tohoku reactor restart: What is the state of Japan's nuclear policy?
In late November, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) gave the green light for restarting the No. 2 reactor at Tohoku Electric Power Co.'s Onagawa plant in Miyagi Prefecture, which had been damaged in the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami. The announcement once again ...
News outlets take time to connect the dots in Kepco gift scandal
In September, media reported that 20 executives of Kansai Electric Power Co. (Kepco) had, for a decade or so, received almost ¥320 million worth of cash and gifts from Eiji Moriyama, the former deputy mayor of Takahama, Fukui Prefecture, who died in March at ...
Utility PG&E agrees to $13.5 billion payout for deadly California fires
California's Pacific Gas and Electric will pay $13.5 billion to settle lawsuits over its role in a series of wildfires that killed scores of people and destroyed thousands of homes, the utility giant said Friday. Faulty PG&E power lines were blamed for sparking last year's ...
India pollution regulator threatens to shut coal-fired utilities around New Delhi
India's federal pollution regulator has warned coal-fired power plants around New Delhi that they could be shut down for failing to comply with deadlines to meet emissions standards, according to sources and a letter reviewed by Reuters. The move comes as New Delhi and other ...
Japan to assist creation of local power providers that function even during blackouts
The Environment Ministry plans to create a financial aid program to encourage the establishment of community-based power providers that could supply energy locally if disasters bring large-scale outages. The program will assist the creation of independent systems involving renewable energy facilities, transmission grids and storage ...
Japan passes bill to tighten rules on foreign investments related to national security
The amended law, which requires foreign investors to get state permission when acquiring stakes of 1 percent or more in a sensitive company, takes effect next spring.
As extreme storms wreck power grids, Japan turns to home battery networks
After recent typhoons ravaged the nation's power grid and disrupted services to almost 1.4 million customers, the government is encouraging homeowners to invest in storage systems, seeking to marry batteries with existing rooftop solar capacity to create backup electricity networks. The backbone would be the ...
Tepco may become first Japanese utility to issue green bonds
Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc. could become the first Japanese utility to issue green bonds. The company is considering raising funds via its new Tepco Renewable Power Inc. unit, established this month to take over its renewable energy business, according to spokesman Takao Takagi. ...
California utility considers more blackouts to avoid igniting wildfires
With windy, dry weather in the forecast again, California's largest utility said Monday it's considering shutting off power this week to about a half million people to try and prevent wildfires ignited by electrical equipment. Pacific Gas & Electric said shutoffs in the northern part ...
A total of 127 households in Chiba Prefecture are expected to remain without electricity until at least Friday due to the damage caused by Typhoon Faxai earlier this month, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Wednesday. The homes are in areas where electricity workers ...
Typhoon damage reveals issues with safety standards and facility renewal at Tepco
Typhoon Faxai, which caused extensive and continued power outages in Chiba Prefecture, has also focused a spotlight on problems involving safety standards and infrastructure renewal. A focus is on whether lessons learned from the typhoon can be used in the future at a time when ...
