Japan’s Shikoku Electric Power will shut down Unit 3 of the Ikata power plant, one of the country’s few operating nuclear power plants, on October 11, 2025 for its 18th periodic inspection.
What are the inspection works for the Ikata power plant?
The inspection at the Ikata nuclear power plant will begin with the shutdown of the 890 MW reactor on October 11, to address critical aspects of the nuclear infrastructure. Forty-four of the 157 fuel assemblies will be replaced with new uranium assemblies, as will the primary system valves, which are responsible for cooling the reactor in the event of a loss of coolant using water.
The review of other reactor elements will also be carried out other elements of the reactor will also be overhauled. among which are:
- Reactor body
- Control and measurement equipment
- Measurement and control system installations
- Radioactive waste disposal facilities
- Radiation control facilities
- Reactor containment facilities
- Other facilities annexed to power reactors
Resumption of electrical transmission to the system is scheduled for December 25 of this year and the inspection is expected to be fully completed by January 19, 2026.
How does this affect the power supply?
In the absence of the nuclear reactor, which is usually a cheap baseload power source, the company would normally be forced to increase output from its thermal power plants, which burn coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to generate electricity. However, it is currently autumn, a season where demand for electricity is not as high as it is in summer, for air conditioning, and in winter, for heating.
In addition, the Japan Meteorological Agency forecasts that this year’s autumn is warmer than normal in western Japan, where Shikoku Island is located, which means that people will use less heating, keeping electricity demand low. Therefore, the company is unlikely to increase the output of its thermal power plants .
What is the importance of the power plant for Shikoku Electric Power?
The Ikata plant is the company’s only operating nuclear reactor, so its maintenance directly affects the regional energy supply. The plant resumed its activities in 2018, after the shutdown generated by the Fukushima accident in 2011, but unit 3 needed another shutdown for maintenance, being restarted again in January 2022.
The current inspection will serve as a new test for the technical reliability of Unit 3 and its role in Shikoku’s energy coverage in the coming years.
