<article><p class="lead">Japanese utility Kansai Electric Power has shut the 900MW No.2 unit at the fire-hit Maizuru coal- and biomass-fired power plant north of Kyoto prefecture again.</p><p>Kansai shut the No.2 unit at Maizuru on 21 March, just a day after <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2430898">it restarted on 20 March</a> following an <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2429342">unexpected shutdown on 15 March owing to a fire</a>. The fire occurred at a facility that delivers wood pellets to boilers. </p><p>The unit was forced to go off line again because of a failure in effluent treatment equipment, Kansai said. The utility is investigating the cause of the issue, but it is unclear when the unit will be brought back on line at this point.</p><p>The impact of the closure is limited as the utility has sufficient LNG stock to ramp up gas-fired plant operations for now, market participants said. Kansai also plans to <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2432233">restart the 870MW Takahama No.4 nuclear reactor</a> on 25 March, which will add to power supply in the Kansai area.</p><p class="bylines">By Reina Maeda</p></article>
