Japan's Niigata prefecture is expected to approve the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's largest, on Tuesday in a landmark decision in Japan's gradual return to nuclear power after the Fukushima disaster. The plant, located about 220 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, was shut down along with dozens of other reactors after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.
Since then, Japan has restarted 14 of its 33 technically viable reactors as it seeks to reduce its reliance on imported fossil fuels. Kashiwazaki-Kariwa will be the first plant to be restarted under the management of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the company that operated the Fukushima plant, adding to residents' concerns.
Despite TEPCO's assurances that it has taken strict safety measures and its commitment to invest $641 million in Niigata over the next decade, local society remains divided. A prefecture survey in October found that 60% of residents believe that the conditions for restarting have not yet been secured, while almost 70% express distrust of the company.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government has openly supported the restart, citing energy security, the high cost of LNG and coal imports and growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centers. In this context, Japan has set a goal of doubling the share of nuclear power in its energy mix to 20% by 2040, despite ongoing social backlash.
Source: protothema.gr
