Japan's Largest Nuclear Power Plant Moves Toward Restart
According to Japanese media reports, Japan's Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission recently lifted the ban on the operation of the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, the world's largest nuclear power plant is expected to be restarted, but the local Niigata Prefectural Government's consent is still required.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant is located in Niigata Prefecture, north of Tokyo, and is operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and has been in operation since 1985. After the Fukushima earthquake in 2011, the plant ceased operation in line with the Japanese government's policy. In January 2021, the Japan Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission (JAERC) issued a ban on the operation of the plant and requested Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to improve the situation due to the unauthorized use of the employee identification cards and the malfunctioning of a number of intrusion detection devices.
After more than two years of improvement efforts by Tokyo Electric Power Company, the Japan Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission (JAERC) lifted the ban on the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant on the 27th. However, whether the world's largest nuclear power plant can be restarted is still subject to the approval of the local Niigata Prefectural Government.
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