Japan is awaiting a decision on Friday from Niigata Prefecture Governor Hideyo Hanazumi on whether the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant can restart some reactors for the first time since the Fukushima disaster.
The announcement, due at 4 p.m. (0700 GMT), will determine whether Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) can move ahead with plans to relaunch units 6 and 7 at the facility, which can generate 2,710 megawatts—about a third of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa’s 8,212-MW capacity.
Approval would clear the last major hurdle for TEPCO, marking its first nuclear restart since the March 2011 tsunami destroyed Fukushima Daiichi and triggered the shutdown of all 54 reactors then in operation.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said she backs further nuclear restarts to strengthen energy security, with imported fuel still providing 60 % to 70 % of Japan’s electricity. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Friday the restart was “extremely important” for reducing power costs and securing low-carbon supply.
It was unclear whether Governor Hanazumi’s decision might be influenced by a report issued on Thursday by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, which found inadequate management of confidential security documents at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa.
TEPCO has said it plans to decommission some of the plant’s remaining five units. In July, Kansai Electric Power said it had begun surveys for what would be Japan’s first new reactor project since 2011.
TEPCO shares were down 1.3 % on Friday, outperforming the Nikkei index, which fell 2.3 %.
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Timothée Chalamet won the Golden Globe for best male actor in a musical or comedy on Sunday for his role in Marty Supreme, beating strong competition in one of the night’s most closely watched categories.
Teyana Taylor and Stellan Skarsgård were among the first winners at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, as Hollywood’s annual awards season got under way in Beverly Hills.
Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano is showing increased activity, with lava flowing from two summit craters and flames, smoke and ash rising from the caldera.
The Arctic has become a frontline for strategic competition, NATO’s top military commander in Europe said on Sunday, as Russia and China increase their presence in the region.
U.S. President Donald Trump has ruled out ordering a mission to capture Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he is confident the war in Ukraine can be brought to an end.
Bob Weir, the rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, has died at the age of 78, his family has said.
Timothée Chalamet won the Golden Globe for best male actor in a musical or comedy on Sunday for his role in Marty Supreme, beating strong competition in one of the night’s most closely watched categories.
Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano is showing increased activity, with lava flowing from two summit craters and flames, smoke and ash rising from the caldera.
China, Russia and Iran have begun a week-long joint naval exercise in South African waters, a move that comes amid strained relations between Washington and several members of the expanded BRICS bloc.
Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano is showing increased activity, with lava flowing from two summit craters and flames, smoke and ash rising from the caldera.
The Arctic has become a frontline for strategic competition, NATO’s top military commander in Europe said on Sunday, as Russia and China increase their presence in the region.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is suffering kidney failure and is undergoing dialysis, Ukrainian intelligence sources say.
More than 1,000 apartment buildings in Kyiv remain without heating after Russian missile attacks crippled the city’s energy system during a sharp cold snap, Ukrainian officials say.
Deaths linked to nationwide protests in Iran have risen to more than 500, according to a U.S.-based rights group HRANA, as Tehran warned it would retaliate against U.S. military targets if Washington intervenes.
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