Nuclear Reactor Restart in Japan Will Likely Displace Natural Gas Electricity Generation - CleanTechnica

On February 9, 2026, Japan restarted Unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station, its largest nuclear plant, which had been offline since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. This reactor, with a capacity of 1,356 MW, is expected to produce about 9,500 gigawatthours annually once fully operational, likely by mid-March. The restart marks Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (TEPCO) first reactor to resume operations after mandatory safety inspections and upgrades. The increased nuclear generation is projected to displace significant fossil fuel use, primarily natural gas, which accounted for 33% of Japan’s electricity generation in 2024. Specifically, Unit 6 could reduce liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports by approximately 1.3 million tons annually, equivalent to 62 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Japan currently operates 15 nuclear reactors with a combined capacity of 33 gigawatts, generating 83 ter