Officials are moving toward authorizing the reactivation of the globe's most sizable atomic energy station—marking the initial occasion it would be in use since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear incident.
The governor of Niigata, leader of the Niigata area where the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power plant is based, said he has authorized for the phased recommencement.
The proposal to resume operations at the station, run by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, must obtain consent from the regional legislative body and the Japanese nuclear oversight body before it can proceed.
Should it be authorized, it would be the initial instance Tokyo Electric Power would be allowed to restart atomic reactor activities in Japan since its Fukushima plant suffered a core meltdown in the wake of a tidal surge.
Local Inhabitants Divided on Resumption
Local inhabitants in Niigata are divided over whether the station should be reactivated or not.
Hanazumi told a press briefing on Friday that his ruling would be debated in December at a regional assembly, where he would request the assembly's approval.
The consent would be for the resumption of functioning at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant's sixth reactor, followed by the No 7.
Background and Corporate Recovery Strategy
The recommencement of functioning at the station is part of the utility's company revitalization initiative in the aftermath of the Fukushima catastrophe, which was caused by a powerful seismic event and huge tidal wave.
When the facility's atomic cores were inundated by the tidal wave, it caused radiation to leak out and required 150,000 people to be relocated from the area.
Japan mandated all its atomic energy facility units to be closed in 2011 following the disaster. Afterward, fourteen units have restarted.
Tepco was instructed to pay huge amounts in damages to those harmed and is also covering the station's closure expenditures.
Public Opinion and Concerns
A survey released by Niigata prefecture last month suggested that 50% of its inhabitants supported the facility's resumption, while nearly half were opposed. It also revealed that almost seven in ten of people in the region were concerned about the company operating the facility.
Power Targets and Future
Friday's decision demonstrates a interest among some in Japan to move towards greater utilization of atomic energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, as the nation pursues a objective of zero net emissions.
