On Monday, Japan took a significant step towards resuming operations at the world’s largest nuclear power plant, after the Niigata Prefectural Assembly voted in favor of the governor who supports the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant. This decision marks a key moment in Japan’s return to nuclear energy, nearly 15 years after the Fukushima disaster, reports Reuters.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, located about 220 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, was one of the 54 nuclear units shut down after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which caused the accident at Fukushima Daiichi, the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
Green light politically, divided community
Monday’s vote, December 22, in the local legislature was essentially the final step needed for the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) operator to gradually restart the reactors. According to the public broadcaster NHK, the company is considering the possibility of reactivating the first of the plant’s seven reactors starting January 20.
However, the debate in the regional assembly revealed deep divisions among the population. About 300 protesters gathered in front of the building, chanting slogans such as “No to nuclear energy” and “No to the restart of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa”.
“This is a political decision that does not take into account the will of the residents of Niigata,” said a regional deputy who opposed the restart of the plant.
Fears after Fukushima
A survey published in October by the prefecture authorities shows that 60% of residents believe that the conditions for restarting the plant are not met, and nearly 70% say they do not trust TEPCO’s ability to manage it safely.
However, the Tokyo government sees the restart of the plant as an essential element for the country’s energy security. According to the Ministry of Economy and Trade, activating a single reactor at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa could increase the amount of electricity supplied to the Tokyo metropolitan area by about 2%.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi supports a return to nuclear energy to reduce Japan’s dependence on imported fossil fuels, which currently account for between 60% and 70% of electricity production. Last year, Japan spent over 10 trillion yen on imports of liquefied natural gas and coal.
Japanese authorities aim for nuclear energy to represent 20% of the national energy mix by 2040, almost double the current level, against the backdrop of increasing electricity consumption generated by data centers and artificial intelligence.
We note that the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, located in Niigata Prefecture and operated by TEPCO, is the world’s largest nuclear power plant in terms of installed capacity, with seven reactors with a total capacity of over 8,200 MW.