Japan has restarted the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant after resolving a minor alarm glitch that halted its first attempt since the 2011 Fukushima disaster
Japan restarted the world’s largest nuclear power plant on Monday after an earlier attempt was halted due to a minor technical issue. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility in Niigata was brought back online at 2:00 pm (0500 GMT), according to a statement from Tokyo Electric Power Company.
The plant had remained shut since
Japan suspended nuclear power generation following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The renewed use of nuclear energy aligns with the government’s objective to cut reliance on fossil fuels, reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and address rising electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence technologies.
Government backing for nuclear revival
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, fresh from a decisive election win on Sunday, has supported expanding nuclear energy to strengthen Japan’s power supply. Her administration has framed nuclear power as essential to securing stable long-term energy resources for the country.
TEPCO began the process of restarting one of the plant’s seven reactors on January 21, but the operation was stopped the next day when a monitoring system alarm detected slight variations in the electrical current of a cable. Although the change remained within safe limits, the alert triggered an automatic shutdown.
Company officials said last week that the alarm settings had since been adjusted, confirming that the reactor was safe to operate.
TEPCO stated that full commercial operation is expected to begin on or after March 18 following a comprehensive inspection. The plant’s return marks a significant milestone in Japan’s broader effort to reintegrate nuclear energy into its national power strategy.
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