Japan Moves Closer to Restarting the World's Largest Nuclear Power Plant
Japan is edging closer to giving the go-ahead for the reactivation of the globe's most sizable atomic energy station—the first time it would be running since the catastrophic 2011 Fukushima event.
Hideyo Hanazumi, head of the Niigata prefecture where the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear facility is based, stated he has given the green light for the limited resumption.
The initiative to resume operations at the station, managed by the Tepco utility firm, requires consent from the prefecture's government assembly and the nation's atomic regulatory agency before it can move forward.
If approved, it would be the inaugural occasion Tepco would be permitted to resume atomic reactor activities in Japan since its Fukushima plant went into meltdown in the wake of a massive wave.
Regional Inhabitants Divided on Restart
Residents in Niigata are split over whether the facility should resume operations or not.
The governor informed a news conference on Friday that his decision would be discussed in December at a prefectural government assembly, where he would request the legislature's authorization.
The consent would be for the resumption of operations at the facility's No 6 reactor, then the Reactor 7.
Context and Corporate Reconstruction Plan
The recommencement of functioning at the facility is part of the utility's corporate recovery strategy in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which was triggered by a powerful seismic event and massive tsunami.
When the plant's reactors were inundated by the tsunami, it led to radiation to leak out and compelled numerous residents to be relocated from the region.
The Japanese government ordered all its nuclear station cores to be deactivated in 2011 after the incident. Since then, 14 reactors have been reactivated.
The company was mandated to pay trillions of Japanese yen in damages to those impacted and is also paying for the station's closure expenditures.
Public Opinion and Worries
A study published by the region recently indicated that half of its inhabitants favored the station's reactivation, while 47% were opposed. It also indicated that almost seven in ten of individuals in the prefecture were concerned about the utility managing the station.
Energy Goals and Ahead
The recent ruling shows a inclination among certain groups in the country to progress to increased use of nuclear power to cut dependence on fossil fuels, as the country pursues a target of zero net emissions.
