🔗 Share this article

Japan is edging closer to approving the reactivation of the globe's most sizable nuclear power plant—the first time it would be operated since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear incident.

Hideyo Hanazumi, governor of the Niigata region where the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa atomic station is situated, said he has approved for the limited resumption.

The plan to resume operations at the facility, managed by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, must obtain consent from the regional legislative body and Japan's nuclear regulator before it can advance.

Should it be authorized, it would be the initial instance the utility company would be allowed to restart nuclear reactor operations in Japan since its Fukushima plant suffered a core meltdown in the wake of a tidal surge.

Local Inhabitants Split on Restart

Local inhabitants in Niigata are divided over whether the plant should be restarted or not.

The governor informed a media event on the end of the week that his decision would be discussed in December at a regional assembly, where he would pursue the legislature's authorization.

The consent would be for the resumption of operations at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant's Reactor 6, subsequently the Reactor 7.

Context and Business Reconstruction Strategy

The restart of activities at the station is part of the utility's company revitalization initiative after the Fukushima catastrophe, which was caused by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and massive tsunami.

When the station's units were submerged by the tidal wave, it caused radioactive leaks and compelled 150,000 people to be moved from the zone.

The Japanese government mandated all its nuclear station cores to be shut down in that year following the catastrophe. Since then, fourteen units have restarted.

Tepco was instructed to pay huge amounts in damages to those impacted and is also paying for the facility's shutdown expenses.

Local Opinion and Concerns

A poll released by Niigata prefecture in the previous month showed that half of its locals supported the plant's restart, while 47% were opposed. It also suggested that almost seven in ten of residents in the area were worried about the utility managing the station.

Energy Goals and Future

The recent ruling demonstrates a inclination among certain groups in the country to move towards expanded reliance of nuclear power to lessen use of fossil fuels, as the country aims for a goal of carbon neutrality.