&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Japan restarts world’s largest nuclear plant, 15 years after shutting down all reactors")
Japan restarted operations at the world’s largest Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant on Wednesday, nearly 15 years after it shut all its nuclear reactors following the disaster at the Fukushima power plant in 2011. Nuclear reactor no. 6 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant was restarted on Wednesday, after an alarm malfunction delayed it by a day, and is expected to begin operating commercially next month.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant is located in the northwest of Tokyo. Before 2011, nuclear power accounted for nearly 30 per cent of Japan’s electricity, and it planned to get that up to 50 per cent by 2030. As of 2023, nuclear power accounted for just 8.5% of electricity. Now, Japan wants nuclear power to fulfil 20% of its electricity needs by 2040.
Japan shut down all 54 of its reactors after Fukushima meltdown in 2011
Japan, which always relied heavily on energy imports, adopted nuclear power early but had to shut down all 54 of its reactors in 2011 after a massive earthquake and tsunami triggered a meltdown at Fukushima, causing one of the worst nuclear disasters in history.
Also Read: ‘Globalisation failed the West and US’: says US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick at Davos 2026
The seventh reactor at the plant is not likely to be brought back on until 2030, while the other five could be decommissioned, leaving the plant with far short of its capacity of 8.2 gigawatts when all seven reactors were operational.
Trending Stories
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
DMK founder Karunanidhi’s granddaughter booked for slapping SBI branch manager | Video
)
NEET row: PM Modi appoints Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani as head of new exam reforms task force
)
India avoids higher US tariff, secures lower 10% rate. Here's how
)
Hidden in British archives: Scientists decode 200-year-old Indian scroll that helped sailors cross one of the world's toughest seas
)
He predicted COVID-19 and 2008 economic crisis, was labeled fearmonger. Now he has another dire warning
)
Iran tells Pakistan it has not withdrawn from negotiations but suspended them: Report
)
'House raided, father picked up': UP man Mohd Junaid alleges crackdown after CJP protest; Police deny claims
)
Houthis strike Saudi oil facilities, shoot down drone in escalating tensions: VIDEO
)
Oil tanker explodes in the Strait of Hormuz after hitting a naval mine
)
ChatGPT invoked God, told pastor not to worry about his symptoms. Then pulmonary embolism hit
)
Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana trailer leaks online again; fans urge for official release
)
NEET Protests riddled with misinformation? Delhi Police blocks 480 Pakistan-based handles spreading 'fake news' since Operation Sindoor
)
Indian Idol 16 crowns Jyotirmayee Nayak; Tanishk Shukla finishes second
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
Lock Upp elimination takes dramatic turn as Shivangi Joshi's candid admission grabs attention
)
Brazil denies visas to US officials amid fears of meddling in upcoming presidential election
)
Google ends Play Services Support, likely to stop these Android phones from downloading apps & games
)
US says Turkey still barred from F-35 program until it gives up Russian S-400 system: Report
)
Bihar wants 'backless Saturday’ in govt schools as official notice misspells 'bagless'
)
Nandan Nilekani, Infosys co-founder and Aadhaar architect, to lead PM’s high-powered task force
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Nostradamus prophecies for 2026: Bees, 7 months great war, 3 fires and more
)
Dhanush breaks silence on National Award backlash with Ajith Kumar's iconic dialogue, 'If you're bad, I'm your dad'
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why US fighter jets use seamless bubble canopies compared to Russian jets
)
Pakistan army chief used private oil venture to keep Iran attacks off Saudi Arabia: Report
)
Russia-Ukraine War | 12 Killed in Zaporizhzhia Strike | Zelenskyy Warns of New Russian Mobilization
)
Jennifer Lopez's ex-husband Ojani Noa claims he confronted Sean 'Diddy' Combs over alleged affair
)
‘Don't cry after elections': Owaisi extends alliance offer to Akhilesh for UP polls
)
Berlin Pride attack suspect shot dead by police; incident classified as ‘Islamist terror’ attack
)
India's foreign ministry debunks viral claim made during last week's protests
The meltdown in the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, 220 km northeast of Tokyo, led to radioactive leakage.
Japan has restarted 15 of its 33 operable reactors
Japan is trying to restart the nuclear power plants, as it seeks to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is also advocating for more shut reactors to be restarted
Since 2015, Japan has restarted 15 out of its 33 operable reactors.
The momentum is building around nuclear energy, and the International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that the global nuclear power capacity could more than double by 2050.
Energy companies have been pushing for nuclear power
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been emphasising the importance of nuclear power for Japan’s energy self-sufficiency. The energy demand in Japan is likely to surge because of data centres and semiconductor manufacturing.
The energy companies have been pushing for nuclear power as it is more reliable than renewable energy like solar and wind and better suited for Japan’s mountainous terrain.
Thousands of residents filed class action lawsuits against Tepco and the Japanese government, demanding compensation for property damage, emotional distress, and health problems allegedly linked to radiation exposure.
Nuclear safety standards have been ramped up after Fukushima.
At Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, 15-metre-high (49-foot) seawalls have been built to guard against large tsunamis; watertight doors now protect critical equipment at the facility.
