Japan Moves Nearer to Restarting the World's Largest Atomic Energy Facility
The country is nearing giving the go-ahead for the reactivation of the planet's biggest nuclear power plant—the first time it would be in use since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
The governor of Niigata, governor of the Niigata region where the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa atomic station is situated, stated he has approved for the limited resumption.
The proposal to restart activities at the plant, run by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, still needs consent from the local government assembly and the nation's atomic regulatory agency before it can advance.
Should it be authorized, it would be the first time the utility company would be permitted to resume nuclear reactor operations in Japan since its Fukushima facility went into meltdown in the wake of a massive wave.
Regional Residents Split on Restart
Residents in Niigata are of differing opinions over whether the facility should resume operations or not.
The governor stated at a media event on the end of the week that his ruling would be discussed in the final month of the year at a prefectural government assembly, where he would seek the assembly's approval.
The approval would be for the restart of functioning at the facility's Reactor 6, then the seventh reactor.
Background and Corporate Reconstruction Plan
The restart of activities at the plant is part of the utility's business reconstruction plan following the Fukushima meltdown, which was caused by a powerful seismic event and enormous surge.
When the facility's atomic cores were inundated by the tsunami, it led to the release of radiation and required 150,000 people to be evacuated from the area.
The Japanese government mandated all its atomic energy facility units to be deactivated in that year after the catastrophe. From that point, fourteen units have restarted.
The company was instructed to pay massive sums in damages to those affected and is also covering the station's closure expenditures.
Public Sentiment and Worries
A survey released by the local government last month indicated that 50% of its locals supported the plant's restart, while nearly half were in disagreement. It also suggested that almost seven in ten of individuals in the prefecture were worried about the utility managing the plant.
Power Targets and Future
The governor's approval shows a interest among some in Japan to progress to increased use of atomic power to reduce dependence on carbon-based fuels, as the country pursues a target of net zero carbon emissions.
