What Japan's Fukushima crisis means for gas
Fukushima's setback for nuclear power creates new opportunities for natural gas – now and in the future
For the nuclear industry, the images broadcast around the world from the stricken Fukushima-Daiichi plant and the accompanying headlines warning of meltdown were the realisation of a recurring nightmare. Over the past decade, concerns about climate change have prompted a shift in attitude towards nuclear power, especially as it can help reduce electricity generation's carbon intensity. The industry's big fear throughout this nuclear renaissance, however, was the possibility of an accident on the scale of Three Mile Island, or even Chernobyl. Fukushima may not be another Chernobyl, but the broad consensus is that the incident is far more serious than the partial-meltdown at Three Mile Island
Also in this section
9 January 2026
A shift in perspective is needed on the carbon challenge, the success of which will determine the speed and extent of emissions cuts and how industries adapt to the new environment
2 January 2026
This year may be a defining one for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the US, despite the institutional uncertainty
23 December 2025
Legislative reform in Germany sets the stage for commercial carbon capture and transport at a national level, while the UK has already seen financial close on major CCS clusters
15 December 2025
Net zero is not the problem for the UK’s power system. The real issue is with an outdated market design in desperate need of modernisation






