Tepco resumes commercial operations at Niigata plant for first time in 14 years

Tokyo Electric Power Company restarts a reactor at the world's largest nuclear plant after a 14-year hiatus, signaling a major shift in Japan's energy policy. | Contesto: cronaca

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• Tepco resumes commercial operations at Niigata plant for first time in 14 years

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Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) has officially resumed commercial operations at reactor No. 6 of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, marking the facility's return to service for the first time in 14 years. The restart, a significant milestone for Japan's energy sector, occurred approximately 50 days later than the utility's initial schedule, following a final round of safety inspections and regulatory approvals. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, the largest nuclear power station in the world by generating capacity, had been completely idled since 2012 in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. That catastrophe, triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, led to a nationwide reassessment of nuclear safety and the eventual shutdown of all of Japan's reactors. The prolonged offline status of this key Tepco asset has been a major financial and operational burden on the utility, which is still managing the costly decommissioning and cleanup at Fukushima. This restart represents a critical test for Japan's revamped nuclear regulatory framework. Before receiving permission to operate, Tepco was required to implement sweeping and costly safety upgrades at the Niigata plant to meet new, stringent standards designed to prevent a repeat of the Fukushima crisis. These include fortified seawalls, enhanced backup power systems, and filtered venting equipment. The 50-day delay from the original target date underscores the meticulous and often protracted nature of the post-Fukushima restart process, where even minor technical queries from regulators can halt timelines. The move carries profound implications for Japan's energy security and climate goals. Following the Fukushima disaster, the country became heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels like liquefied natural gas and coal, leading to higher electricity costs and increased carbon emissions. The government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has explicitly reversed course, now framing nuclear power as an indispensable baseload energy source necessary for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and ensuring a stable power supply. Restarting Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, with its...

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Categoria: cronaca