Japan plans placing data centers near world’s largest nuclear plant

Japan’s Niigata Prefecture has approved the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, the world’s largest nuclear facility, more than a decade after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which operates the plant, is reportedly in talks with Japanese telecom companies to explore the feasibility of establishing data centers near the plant, although Tepco has not made any formal plans public. The restart of Unit 6, with a capacity of 1.35 million kilowatts, is expected by late January and represents a key step in Tepco’s efforts to restore nuclear output and expand Japan’s electricity capacity. The potential data center initiative aligns with global trends where major tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon secure clean, stable nuclear energy for large-scale data operations and AI workloads. A data center near Kashiwazaki-Kariwa could position Tepco as a reliable provider of nuclear energy to international tech firms, supporting Japan’s commitment