At around 3:00 p.m. on December 18th, 2025, a fire broke out inside one of the four coal silos at Shikoku Electric Power’s Tachibana-wan Power Station in Anan city, Tokushima Prefecture.
◆Tachibana-wan Power Station: Coal-powered, started commercial operation in 2000, Capacity 700 MW
◆Storage facilities on site: 4 coal silos, each approximately 46 m in diameter and 71 m in height
Why can the fire not be “extinguished” after three months?
Approximately three months after the fire first broke out, on March 13th, 2026, Shikoku Electric Power announced that the fire inside the silo had been “brought under control.” While no impact on the surrounding environment or power supply has been reported, it is expected that the full “extinguishing” of the fire will take several more months.
Two causes that block extinguishing the fire in coal silo
◆ The large volume of coal which is combustible material itself
◆ Limitations on the volume of water that be can used to extinguish the coal fire
Because the water sprayed from the top of the silo onto the burning coal becomes contaminated with coal particles, it cannot be discharged without a purification process. The amount of water that can be purified is limited, which makes it impossible to spray water continuously as is done with ordinary fires.
Shikoku Electric Power explains that it had secured three to five times greater water discharge capacity than available volume at the onset of the fire by installing additional pumps and piping to enable the recycling of water used for firefighting. This incident has highlighted the inadequacy of firefighting measures at coal storage silo/yard and the difficulty of extinguishing coal fires.
The local fire department determined that with enhanced firefighting capability there was no risk of the fire spreading and confirmed that the fire had been brought under control on March 13th. However, it might take several more months to extinguish the fire due to the need to remove coal from the silo.
What is the cause of the fire?
Shikoku Electric Power is investigating the cause but has not determined it yet. At the time of the fire, the silo contained 42,000 tons of coal (each silo has a storage capacity of 70,000 tons). The investigation is proceeding on the assumption that spontaneous combustion may have been the cause.
Even under the stored condition, coal can accumulate heat through oxidation, and when the temperature rises, it may spontaneously combust. The risk level varies depending on the type of coal, and the Fire Service Act and other regulations require specific methods for storing coal and implementing fire prevention measures. When storing coal in enclosed facilities like silos, ventilation and temperature monitoring are essential. Shikoku Electric Power has stated that “this is the first time such a fire has occurred.” It is critical to investigate the cause, including the management system.
Future Concerns and Emerging Challenges
Rising temperatures in recent years have created hot and humid conditions during summer. These conditions make it easier for heat and moisture to be trapped inside coal and increase the risk of spontaneous combustion. This prolonged fire has once again highlighted the inherent risks and management challenges associated with coal-fired power plants that store a certain amount of “inflammable” coal.
There is an urgent need to “extinguish” the fire as soon as possible, determine the cause, and implement fundamental countermeasures.
Reference
Shikoku Electric Power, President’s regular press conference mentions the fire (written in Japanese)