A Japanese court has ruled that Fukushima nuclear operator Tokyo Electric was responsible for a woman’s suicide after the March 2011 disaster and must pay compensation, in a landmark ruling that could set a precedent for other claims against the utility. The civil suit by Mikio Watanabe claimed that Tokyo Electric Power Co Inc (Tepco) was to blame for the July 2011 death of his wife Hamako, 58, who doused h ...

South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Friday urged the creation of a nuclear safety consultative group in Northeast Asia, given the high number of nuclear power plants in the region and public concerns over safety. South Korea operates 23 reactors supplying about a third of the country's power, but Japan's 2011 Fukushima disaster, North Korean nuclear tests and a series of domestic nuclear scandals have h ...

AIPEI, Taiwan -- Economics Minister Chang Chia-juch (張家祝) yesterday said he will ensure that the First Nuclear Power Plant will provide a stable flow of electricity, adding that the power plant will not suspend operations. Chang made the remark during his first visit to the Second Nuclear Power Plant for the 2014 nuclear safety drill in New Taipei. The minister said that as the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant (N ...

WASHINGTON: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved an agreement on civilian nuclear cooperation between the US and Vietnam, as Washington looks to expand its relationship with its former Southeast Asian foe. The agreement approved Tuesday by the committee would allow US firms into Vietnam's expanding market for nuclear power. The US and Vietnamese governments reached the agreement last October, ...

A strong earthquake hit Japan’s northern coast Saturday near the nuclear power plant crippled in the 2011 tsunami. At least one person was injured and a small tsunami was triggered, but no damage was reported. Japan’s Meteorological Agency said the magnitude-6.8 quake struck 10 kilometers (6 miles) below the sea surface off the coast of Fukushima. The 4:22 a.m. (1922 GMT Friday) quake shook buildings in Tok ...

Officials at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in Japan have shown an underground wall of ice they are building to stop radioactive water from leaking from the facility. Tepco, the owner of the station, which is still crippled three years after an earthquake and tsunami set off nuclear meltdowns in the region, has been fighting a continuous battle to deal with hundreds of thousands of tonnes of co ...

Work was completed on the 1,000MW first unit last year, the second 1,000MW reactor is expected to be brought into service by mid-2014   New Delhi: The first reactor of India’s largest nuclear plant—dogged by protests and multiple delays—reached full capacity for the first time on Saturday, an official said. The Russian-backed Kudankulam plant in Tamil Nadu is designed to help meet surging demand for el ...

Narendra Modi was projected as a divisive persona from day one by his critics. They feared that under his leadership South Asia would become a nuclear flashpoint. Many even predicted an Indo-Pak war as inevitable in the event of Mr Modi becoming the Prime Minister. However, much to the shock and surprise of these doomsday prophets, Mr Modi began his innings on a positive note, which has been hailed the worl ...

Minister of Economic Affairs Chang Chia-juch (張家祝) yesterday said the cost of maintaining each reactor at the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant has been estimated at between NT$1 billion and NT$2 billion (US$33.19 million and US$66.4 million) a year if Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) is ordered to halt its construction. The maintenance fees would ensure that equipment at the plant remains functional, in the event t ...

Taiwan's government says it will freeze the construction of a fourth nuclear power plant, until a national referendum is held. In response to a mass protest, Taiwan will hold a referendum to decide if a fourth nuclear plant will be built. (Photo: Michael Dalder) (Credit: Reuters) Audio: Taiwan puts new nuclear plant on backburner A date has yet to be fixed on the referendum, to endorse the fourth plant. The ...