NOVELTY - A fuel cell power plant includes a catalyst regenerating equipment (90, 91, 134, 92, 93, 153) between an oxidant source and shift reactor (150, 152, 154) for selectively feeding an oxidant gas into the shift reactor to oxidize and convert sulfur associated with noble metal shift catalyst (44) to sulfur dioxide. The shift reactor discharges sulfur dioxide in the absence of the shift reaction.    USE - As fuel cell power plant.    ADVANTAGE - The plant can regenerate a sulfur-burdened, noble metal catalyst and/or catalyst support in a water gas shift reactor, and other sensitive catalyst-containing components downstream of the water shift reactor, such as a selective oxidizer and the fuel cell stack itself, to minimize continued degradation of the catalyst performance and restore prior performance levels.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The fuel cell power plant (110) has a fuel cell stack assembly (CSA), including an anode, and a fuel processing system (FPS) (120) for converting a hydrocarbon feedstock fuel (22) to a hydrogen-rich fuel stream (34, 134, 53, 62) for the anode of the CSA. The FPS includes at least a shift reactor having a noble metal shift catalyst for facilitating a shift reaction. The plant includes a catalyst regenerating equipment between an oxidant source and the shift reactor for selectively feeding an oxidant gas into the shift reactor to oxidize and convert sulfur associated with the noble metal shift catalyst to sulfur dioxide (SO2). The shift reactor discharges SO2 in the absence of the shift reaction. The noble metal shift catalyst of the shift reactor is at greater than or equal to150degreesC.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a method of regenerating a sulfur-burdened, noble metal shift catalyst, comprising terminating the water gas shift reaction; supplying an oxidant to the shift reactor and oxidizing the sulfur burdening the shift catalyst to create SO2, and venting the SO2 from the shift reactor.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a simplified functional schematic diagram of a fuel cell power plant.    Hydrocarbon feedstock fuel (22)    Hydrogen-rich fuel stream (34, 134, 53, 62)    Catalyst regenerating equipments (90, 91, 134, 92, 93, 153)    Fuel cell power plant (110)    FPS (120)    Shift reactor (150, 152, 154)