Move FM Global News

TOKYO, Japan: Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) announced that it has received regulatory approval to begin loading nuclear fuel into the No. 7 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata, Japan.

This marks a significant step toward restarting the plant, which has been offline since 2012 following the Fukushima Daiichi disaster in 2011.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority’s approval allows TEPCO to initiate the process of loading 872 sets of fuel assemblies into the reactor, a procedure expected to take several weeks. Reactors 6 and 7 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant cleared safety tests in 2017 but faced setbacks in 2021 due to safeguarding issues. The plant’s operational ban was lifted four months ago.

TEPCO, grappling with the financial burdens of decommissioning and compensating residents affected by the Fukushima disaster, sees the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant as crucial for its business. However, public trust in the company’s ability to operate nuclear facilities safely remains a concern.

The decision to restart the plant comes amid Japan’s shift toward increasing its reliance on nuclear power to address rising fuel costs and meet decarbonization goals. Prime Minister Kishida Fumio’s government has reversed previous plans for a nuclear phaseout in response to global geopolitical challenges.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has supported Japan’s efforts to expand its nuclear power capacity, citing it as a stable and clean energy source. IAEA has dispatched a team of experts to the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant to provide technical assistance.

TEPCO, in a statement, said it will ensure safety as the plant starts back up. “We will steadily put forward each step and we will stop when we find issues and take necessary measures.”

However, the restart remains contingent upon local community consent. Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi has yet to decide, citing safety concerns raised by a recent earthquake in the nearby Noto region and the need for thorough safety discussions within local communities.