World's biggest nuclear plant could soon restart
(VOVWORLD) - Japan's nuclear power regulator on Wednesday lifted an operational ban it imposed on Tokyo Electric Power's massive Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power plant two years ago, clearing the path for it to resume operation.
 Tokyo Electric Power's massive Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power plant in Niigata prefecture, Japan (Photo: AFP/ VNA) |
The plant, which has a capacity of 8,200 megawatts, has been offline since 2011, when the Fukushima disaster prompted the eventual shutdown of all nuclear power plants in Japan.
In 2021, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) barred TEPCO from operating Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, its only operable atomic power station, due to safety breaches including a failure to protect nuclear materials and missteps that led to an unauthorized staff member accessing sensitive areas of the plant.
TEPCO hopes to soon bring the world's largest nuclear power plant back into operation to cut the company’s operating costs. Resumption of operations at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant still needs approval from the government of Niigata prefecture.