Japan Attempts Again to Restart the World’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant
Japan Restarts the World’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant
On Monday, February 9, Japan reactivated the largest nuclear power plant in the world, located in the west of the country. This follows an unsuccessful initial attempt in January due to a system alarm failure, as announced by the facility’s operator.
Restart of Reactor No. 6
In a statement, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reported that Reactor No. 6 was restarted at 2:00 PM local time, noting that the control rods have been removed from Reactor No. 6 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant. This operation comes after an initial startup attempt on January 21, which was quickly halted the following day due to the activation of a monitoring system alarm.
Corrective Measures and Timeline
Last week, the plant manager, Takeuyuki Inagaki, reassured that the alarm system parameters have been adjusted, enabling the reactor to operate safely. He also indicated that the commercial startup of the plant is scheduled for March 18, or later, following a thorough new inspection.
Energy and Climate Goals
Japan aims to relaunch nuclear energy to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, meet the rising energy demand, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
A Divided Local Population
However, the plant’s restart continues to spark controversy. According to a survey conducted by the Niigata prefecture last September, approximately 60% of residents in the surrounding areas oppose the restart, while only 37% are in favor.
