Japan restarts world's largest nuclear power plant after Fukushima disaster
Japan is poised to take a historic step toward restoring its energy security, as all eyes turn to Niigata Prefecture today, which is preparing to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, the world's largest nuclear power plant by generating capacity. This move comes nearly 15 years after the forced shutdown of the reactors following the tragic Fukushima disaster in 2011, marking a radical shift in Japan's nuclear energy policy.
Official approval and the beginning of a new phase
In a significant development, local authorities in Niigata Prefecture have approved Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) decision to begin the process of starting up the first of the seven reactors at the plant by January 20. This approval marks a strong return to nuclear power as a primary source of electricity generation for Japan, after years of costly reliance on imported fossil fuels.
The strategic and economic importance of the event
This decision is not merely a technical one; it carries significant economic and strategic dimensions. Japan, lacking natural resources and importing the majority of its energy needs, seeks to reduce its enormous import bill and stabilize electricity prices, which have risen sharply in recent years. Furthermore, by restarting the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, located 220 km northwest of the capital, Tokyo aims to fulfill its climate commitments to reduce carbon emissions, as nuclear power is considered a cleaner source of carbon compared to coal and gas.
The specter of the Fukushima disaster and the lessons learned
Despite the new direction, the specter of March 11, 2011, remains vivid. On that day, a devastating earthquake measuring 9 on the Richter scale struck the Japanese coast, followed by a massive tsunami with waves reaching 10 meters in height. This resulted in the death or disappearance of approximately 20,000 people and the meltdown of reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This disaster, considered the worst since Chernobyl, prompted Japan to shut down 54 nuclear reactors and review all its safety standards, making them among the most stringent in the world today.
Ongoing challenges: Removing radioactive traces
As Japan looks to the future by restarting its undamaged power plants, the battle to clean up the past continues. Last August, according to Agence France-Presse, technicians at the crippled Fukushima plant sent sophisticated, remotely controlled robots into the damaged reactors. This complex operation aims to explore and remove radioactive remnants and molten fuel, a task described as the most technically challenging due to the high levels of radiation that preclude direct human intervention.
