Japan Prepares to Restart World’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant: The Revival of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant

Japan is preparing to restart production activities at the Kashiwazaki – Kariwa nuclear power plant, following an extended period of closure due to the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is making preparations to load fuel into the world’s largest nuclear power plant, which was shut down after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster. This marks the first step towards reviving this massive power generation facility. The move comes after Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) granted permission for the plant to resume operations and start refueling once again.

Despite these initial steps, the plant still faces various hurdles before fully resuming operations, such as safety inspections and obtaining permits from local authorities. The facility had encountered difficulties in attempting to restart operations in 2021, as it had violated several safety regulations. However, these issues have since been addressed.

The Kashiwazaki – Kariwa nuclear power plant, with a capacity of 8.2 GW before being decommissioned in 2012, is situated in Niigata prefecture, Japan. It originally opened in 1985 and boasts the world’s first advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR). The plant houses seven reactors, with five capable of producing 1.1 GW of power each and two producing 1,365 MW. Over the years, the plant has experienced both partial and complete shutdowns due to technical challenges and seismic events in the region. Now, with Japan’s push to restart reactors for energy security and reduced carbon emissions, the revival of the Kashiwazaki – Kariwa plant is essential.

TEPCO plans to transport fuel assemblies to reactor No. 7 on April 15th where they will be placed from storage into the reactor core cooling system functions correctly ensuring that fuel rods are installed correctly and efficiently manage night staff operation effectively from eight current staff members increase by fifty-one for efficient operation management