Japan: World’s largest nuclear plant to restart after nearly 15 years

Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings (TEPCO) has initiated the partial restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata prefecture, marking its first reactor operation since the Fukushima Daiichi disaster nearly 15 years ago. Reactor No. 6, with a capacity of 1.35 gigawatts, began its nuclear reaction following test-use approval from Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority. TEPCO plans to gradually increase the reactor’s output to about 50% over the coming week, conduct safety checks, and aims to commence commercial operations by late February, pending regulatory clearance. The restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, once the world’s largest nuclear plant with a total capacity of 8.2 GW, represents a significant step in Japan’s cautious return to nuclear energy amid concerns over electricity supply shortages this summer. The move was supported by the Niigata prefectural assembly’s approval in December, and Reactor No. 7 is expected to