Restart of Unit 3 at Japan's Tomari Nuclear Power Plant May Be Delayed to After End of 2027

The restart of Unit 3 at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant, operated by Hokkaido Electric Power in Tomari Village, Hokkaido, Japan, may be delayed to after the end of 2027. The company currently maintains its stated target of a restart in early 2027, but has not yet provided a specific date. Key factors affecting the restart schedule include delays in the construction of the tsunami protection embankment, a fatal accident during construction that occurred during the review process by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) of Japan, and certain technical matters that remain under confirmation and consultation. Hokkaido Electric Power has stated that the embankment is expected to be completed by mid-August 2027. The project was originally scheduled for completion around March 2027, but has been extended due to blizzard conditions and additional...

2026-09-08

Japan's Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 Restart Review Still Requires Additional Fire Safety Documentation

On September 3, a review meeting was held for the restart plan of Unit 3 at Japan's Tomari Nuclear Power Plant. The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) pointed out that the explanations submitted by Hokkaido Electric Power regarding fire safety measures still contain issues requiring further confirmation, and requested the company to provide more detailed assessment materials. The equipment design and construction plan required for the restart of Tomari Unit 3 has been under review since last year. One of the current review priorities is whether relevant workers have adequate and feasible evacuation measures in the event of a fire on site. At the meeting that day, representatives of Hokkaido Electric Power explained the revised fire safety...

2026-09-04

Japan's Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Plans New Low-Level Radioactive Waste Processing Facility

Hokkaido Electric Power Company (HEPCO) recently announced plans to construct a new low-level radioactive waste processing facility within the premises of the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant in Hokkaido, Japan, to handle approximately 12,000 drums of low-level radioactive waste currently stored on site. According to HEPCO, the new facility will sort waste such as paper and metal, reduce its volume through fine shredding or compression, and then solidify it by pouring mortar into the waste drums. After processing, the waste will undergo radioactivity level testing before being transported to the disposal center in Rokkasho Village, Aomori Prefecture. Previously, the Tomari plant had stored this type of waste in 200-liter drums without further processing. The proposed facility will have an annual processing capacity of over 1,000 drums, feature a three-story structure, and cover a total floor area of approximately 4,600 square meters.

2026-09-02

Restart Plan for Unit 3 of Japan's Tomari Nuclear Power Plant May Face Uncertainty Due to Supplementary Review and Accident

Hokkaido Electric Power Co.'s Unit 3 of the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant was originally scheduled to restart in 2027, but the plan may face uncertainty due to additional review items and a fatal accident at the construction site. The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) announced on August 20 that it will hold a supplementary review meeting on September 3 to deliberate on the approval of construction plans related to the restart of Unit 3 at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant. This review requires new confirmation of fire safety measures. Hokkaido Electric Power stated that it will explain the construction plans at the September meeting and continue to work toward the 2027 restart target. Additionally, during the seawall construction at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant, a...

2026-08-23

Eight economic organizations in Hokkaido urge early restart of Tomari Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 and electricity price reduction

On August 19, eight economic organizations in Hokkaido, including the Hokkaido Economic Federation, submitted a request to Hokkaido Electric Power Company (HEPCO), urging the company to promote the early restart of Unit 3 at the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant and to reduce electricity prices as soon as possible after restart, while ensuring that safety measures are given priority. On the same day, Hiroshi Fujii, Chairman of the Hokkaido Economic Federation and Chairman of Hokkaido Electric Power Company, and Mitsuharu Yasuda, Chairman of the Hokkaido Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of Hokuyo Bank, along with other heads of economic organizations, visited HEPCO's headquarters in Sapporo and presented the request to HEPCO President Susumu Saito. The request states that the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant is of great significance for Hokkaido's economic growth and decarbonization efforts...

2026-08-20