Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) could restart one unit at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, the world’s largest by installed capacity, as early as January. The relaunch depends on a vote by the Niigata prefectural assembly, scheduled during its regular session beginning on December 2.
Unit 6 targeted for phased restart
The planned restart concerns Unit 6, one of the two largest reactors at the plant located in north-western Japan. According to plant director Takeyuki Inagaki, if the assembly approves the decision by the end of the year, TEPCO will submit a pre-use confirmation request to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA). This regulatory process typically takes three to four weeks.
It would mark TEPCO’s first restart of a nuclear facility since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident, after which the company shut down all its nuclear assets. TEPCO continues to pay compensation related to that incident.
Energy supply context and fossil fuel pressure
The governor of Niigata Prefecture approved a partial restart last week as part of Japan’s broader effort to reduce fossil fuel imports and stabilise domestic energy supply. This decision represents a key step in the country’s nuclear strategy, which aims to restore a substantial share of its nuclear capacity.
Operated by TEPCO, the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant has seven reactors and a total generation capacity of 8,212 megawatts, though it has remained offline for more than a decade. Its phased reactivation is being closely monitored by national authorities and regional energy markets.
Next regulatory steps and industrial implications
The Nuclear Regulation Authority must carry out a series of technical and safety inspections before any operational restart. TEPCO must demonstrate that Unit 6 meets the stricter safety standards implemented after 2011. No specific date has been announced for the conclusion of this process.
The potential restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa comes as several other Japanese operators also await authorisation to bring nuclear facilities back online. Japan’s nuclear sector remains under heightened scrutiny following the Fukushima incident.
