Japan is poised to take a major step in its gradual return to nuclear energy, as Niigata Prefecture is expected on Monday to approve the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant—the largest in the world by capacity.
Located around 220 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility was among 54 reactors shut down nationwide following the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami that triggered the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the worst since Chernobyl, according to news reports.
Since then, Japan has cautiously resumed operations at 14 of the 33 reactors that remain technically operable, as the country seeks to reduce its reliance on imported fossil fuels and strengthen energy security.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant will mark the first nuclear facility to be brought back online by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, TEPCO is considering restarting the first of the plant’s seven reactors on January 20, pending final approval.
