Japan Moves Closer to Restarting the Globe's Biggest Nuclear Power Plant
Japan is edging closer to authorizing the resumption of the globe's most sizable atomic energy station—marking the initial occasion it would be running since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
The governor of Niigata, head of the Niigata prefecture where the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear facility is based, announced he has given the green light for the phased recommencement.
The proposal to restart activities at the facility, run by utility company Tepco, must obtain consent from the local government assembly and the Japanese nuclear oversight body before it can proceed.
If approved, it would be the first time Tepco would be allowed to resume nuclear reactor operations in Japan since its Fukushima station went into meltdown in the wake of a massive wave.
Regional Citizens Split on Restart
Local inhabitants in Niigata are split over whether the station should be reactivated or not.
Hanazumi told a media event on the end of the week that his determination would be considered in the final month of the year at a prefectural government assembly, where he would request the assembly's approval.
The authorization would be for the resumption of functioning at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant's sixth reactor, subsequently the No 7.
Context and Business Recovery Plan
The recommencement of functioning at the facility is part of the utility's company revitalization initiative after the Fukushima meltdown, which was caused by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and huge tidal wave.
When the facility's atomic cores were submerged by the surge, it caused radiation to leak out and forced numerous residents to be evacuated from the region.
Japan ordered all its nuclear power plant reactors to be shut down in 2011 following the catastrophe. Since then, 14 reactors have resumed operations.
Tepco was mandated to pay massive sums in damages to those affected and is also paying for the facility's shutdown expenses.
Local Opinion and Worries
A study released by Niigata prefecture recently showed that 50% of its residents backed the station's reactivation, while nearly half were against it. It also indicated that almost seven in ten of people in the area were anxious about the company operating the plant.
Power Targets and Future
Friday's decision illustrates a interest among certain groups in the country to progress to increased use of nuclear power to lessen dependence on fossil fuels, as the country seeks a objective of carbon neutrality.
