Monthly Report

Chugoku EPCO resumes commercial operation of Shimane Unit 2

January 14, 2025
Shimane Nuclear Power Plant
Unit 2 is the only operational reactor at Shimane Nuclear Power Plant. (Image: Chugoku EPCO)

On January 10, 2025, Chugoku Electric Power resumed commercial operation of Shimane Nuclear Power Plant’s Unit 2. According to Chugoku EPCO’s data, the 820MW unit generates approximately 19GWh per day, covering approximately 11% of the TSO area’s demand.

Shimane Unit 2 became the first active nuclear reactor in the Chugoku TSO area on December 7, 2024, when it was restarted for the first time since its post-Fukushima shut down in January 2012. The unit was commissioned in February 1989 and is Japan’s only operational nuclear reactor located in a prefectural capital.

The power plant was first commissioned in 1974 when its 460MW Unit 1 was put into service. The unit was decommissioned in 2015. Unit 3, a 1.37GW advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR), is currently under construction. It was originally scheduled for 2012 commissioning, however, the Fukushima nuclear disaster led to indefinite postponement.

As of the time of writing this article, 14 nuclear reactors in Japan, with a combined output of 13.2GW, have been resumed after being shut down post-Fukushima. In December 2024, nuclear generation covered approximately 10% of the country’s demand. For details about nuclear power plant operational statuses, as well as overview of key policy and regulation-related developments, subscribe to our The Japan Power Industry Executive monthly report.

If you found the above helpful, join our free weekly newsletter to get a summary of the latest news from the Japanese power market straight in your inbox.

…or create a FREE Japan Energy Hub account to not only receive the newsletter but also access to selected parts of our data modules.

In other news...

Monthly Report - The Japanese Power Industry Executive

Submit the form below to receive a sample issue of The Japan Power Industry Executive.