News Brief: Japan Approves Restart of World’s Largest Nuclear Plant
Summary
Japan’s Niigata prefecture has voted to allow the partial restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, the world’s largest. Operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the same company behind the Fukushima disaster, this marks a significant step in Japan’s return to nuclear energy after nearly 15 years.
Key Points
- Final Approval: A vote by Niigata’s prefectural assembly was the last major hurdle for restarting the plant, which has been offline since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
- Operator & History: This will be the first TEPCO-operated plant to restart since Fukushima. The plant is one of 54 reactors shut down after the 2011 catastrophe.
- Energy & Economy: Restarting one reactor could boost Tokyo’s electricity supply by 2%. Japan aims to double nuclear power’s share to 20% by 2040 to meet rising demand (including from AI data centers) and reduce costly fossil fuel imports.
- Public Opposition: Despite TEPCO’s financial pledges to the region, local surveys show majority opposition and distrust in TEPCO. Protesters, including Fukushima evacuees, demonstrated against the restart.
- Next Steps: TEPCO is reportedly considering reactivating the first of seven reactors as early as January 20, 2025.
新闻简报：日本批准重启世界最大核电站
摘要
日本新潟县议会投票批准了重启世界最大的柏崎刈羽核电站部分机组的计划。该电站由福岛核事故的运营商东京电力公司运营，此举是日本在福岛灾难近15年后重返核能领域的重要一步。
关键点
- 最终批准：新潟县议会的投票是重启该电站的最后主要障碍。该电站自2011年福岛核事故后一直处于停运状态。
- 运营商与历史：这将是福岛事故后东电运营的首个重启核电站。该电站是2011年灾难后停运的54个反应堆之一。
- 能源与经济：重启一个反应堆可使东京地区电力供应增加2%。日本计划到2040年将核电占比翻倍至20%，以满足（包括来自AI数据中心在内的）不断增长的能源需求，并减少昂贵的化石燃料进口。
- 公众反对：尽管东电承诺向当地投入巨额资金，但民调显示大多数居民反对重启且不信任东电。包括福岛撤离者在内的抗议者举行了示威活动。
- 后续步骤：据报道，东电正考虑最早于2025年1月20日重启七个反应堆中的第一个。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-22/japan-votes-to-restart-worlds-largest-nuclear-reactor-in-niigata/106171978