Chubu Electric Power

Shares of Chubu Electric Power fell 1.6% after it emerged that construction reports for the decommissioning procedure of reactors 1 and 2 at Hamaoka were falsified. The Japanese nuclear regulator has suspended the approval process for restarting the plant, removing a key driver for earnings recovery. Investors express persistent frustration at the slow pace of clarification and internal reforms, dimming the utility’s recovery prospects. » More on de.investing.com

After Q3 reports, Morgan Stanley identified three Japanese utilities as sector favorites and analyzed their share performance between January 29 and February 16. Japan Petroleum Exploration (JAPEX) stood out with a 17.4% rise after management raised the full-year profit forecast, supported by overseas businesses and currency gains. Chubu Electric Power climbed 17.0% as progress in addressing safety concerns at the Hamaoka nuclear plant was received positively. Tokyo Gas gained 10.7%, benefiting from higher shale gas selling prices in North America and raising its profit forecast thanks to growth in energy solutions and overseas operations; all three are rated “Equal-weight” by Morgan Stanley. » More on de.investing.com

Japan’s nuclear regulator has suspended the safety assessment for reactor units 3 and 4 at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant after a whistleblower in February 2025 flagged years of manipulated data on earthquake risk. Chubu Electric Power admits it deviated from standard procedures in the risk assessment, possibly deliberately. The suspension prevents the reactors’ restart for now; timing and conditions for resuming the review are unclear. Hamaoka is located in the Nankai Trough region, considered earthquake-prone, and the decision comes as Japan is in the process of bringing nuclear reactors back online. » More on heise.de