Camilla Jessen
Japan halts restart of world’s largest nuclear plant.
Japan’s long-awaited return to nuclear power hit another hurdle this week. Just hours after operations resumed at a flagship facility, authorities were forced to pause the process once again.
The restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant was suspended on Thursday after several hours of operation, according to its operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company.
A monitoring alarm was triggered during reactor start-up procedures.
“A monitoring system alarm was triggered during reactor start-up procedures, and operations are currently suspended,” Tepco spokesperson Takashi Kobayashi told AFP.
He added that the reactor remains stable and that there has been no release of radioactivity outside the plant.
Tepco said it is investigating the cause of the alarm and has not provided a timeline for when the restart might resume.
Delayed return
Restart operations for one reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant began on Wednesday evening, following approval last month from the governor of Niigata Prefecture.
The restart had originally been planned for Tuesday.
That schedule was pushed back after a technical issue involving a reactor alarm was detected late last week. Tepco said the problem was resolved on Sunday, allowing the restart to proceed before the latest suspension.
The plant, located in central-western Japan, was shut down in 2011 when Japan took all nuclear reactors offline following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster at Fukushima.
A symbolic test
Unit 6 at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the first reactor operated by Tepco to be restarted since Fukushima. Tepco also manages the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant, making the restart particularly sensitive.
The plant is the largest nuclear power station in the world, with seven reactors and a total capacity of 8.2 gigawatts when fully operational.
Public opinion in Niigata remains divided. A prefectural survey conducted in September found that 60% of residents opposed restarting the plant, while 37% supported it.
National implications
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has voiced support for expanding nuclear power, including the development of small modular reactors.
The government recently announced new public funding to speed up Japan’s return to nuclear energy.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa restart is widely seen as a test case for the industry. Six reactors operated by other utilities, including Chubu Electric Power, are still awaiting regulatory decisions on possible restarts.
Sources: AFP, Agerpres
