Seismic Challenge: Oil Leak and Damage at Japan’s Shika Nuclear Plant Post Earthquake

In an unprecedented event unfolding in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture, the Shika nuclear power plant (NPP), operated by Hokuriku Electric Power Company, suffered a significant oil leak and damage following a powerful earthquake and a series of aftershocks on New Year’s Day. The 7.6-magnitude earthquake, the strongest recorded in the Noto Peninsula region since 1885, sent …

Japan lifts operational ban on world’s biggest nuclear plant

 Japan’s nuclear power regulator on Wednesday lifted an operational ban imposed on Tokyo Electric Power’s (9501.T) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant two years ago, allowing it to work towards gaining local permission to restart. Tepco has been eager to bring the world’s largest atomic power plant back online to slash operating costs, but a resumption still needs consent …

Regulator accepts Diablo Canyon licence renewal application

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) can operate the two-unit Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California beyond the expiry of their current licences (2024 and 2025, respectively) following the acceptance of PG&E’s licence renewal application by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). PG&E filed the application on 7 November, seeking to extend the plant’s operating …

ENGIE signs a final agreement with the Belgian government on the extension of Tihange 3 and Doel 4 nuclear reactors

This document confirms and endorses the key principles of the framework agreement signed on 21 July 2023, namely: the commitment by both parties to implement Flexible Long-Term Operation (Flex LTO), with an estimated investment of between €1.6bn and €2bn, and to use their best efforts to restart the nuclear units at Doel 4 and Tihange …

Tepco Jumps Ahead of Regulator’s Decision on Nuclear Power Plant

Japan’s top utility surged as regulators indicated they will take a step that may lead to the restart of its nuclear power plant — the world’s largest. The Nuclear Regulation Authority will make a final decision to remove a ban on restarting Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant after conducting an on-site …

Swiss nuclear power plants are running out of staff

After warning Switzerland over two years ago, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommends the authorities develop a roadmap to deal with the impending problem of labour shortage in Swiss nuclear power plants. Switzerland’s existing nuclear power plants are on the verge of having their lifetimes extended from 50 to 80 years. But now a …

AtkinsRéalis-led consortium signs $750M contract supporting Romanian CANDU reactor life extension

Candu Energy Inc., an AtkinsRéalis company [SNC-Lavalin Group Inc.] (TSX: ATRL) and the Canadian Commercial Corporation (“CCC”), a federal Crown corporation, have signed a contract with Nuclearelectrica S.A. (SNN) to provide engineering, technology and procurement of tooling and reactor components in support of the life extension of SNN’s Unit 1 CANDU® reactor at the Cernavoda …

Koeberg 1 back online after milestone outage

The pressurised water reactor was synchronised to the South African energy grid on 18 November after nearly a year offline for the replacement of the plant’s three original steam generators, a prerequisite for the long-term operation of the plant. Completion of the longest outage in the plant’s history is a “huge milestone” in its generational …