Japan pushes to restart nuclear reactors

(Dan Tri) - The Kashiwazaki - Kariwa nuclear power plant is preparing the final steps to restore two reactors after a long period of closure due to the impact of the Fukushima disaster.

According to an announcement from Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), reactor No. 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power plant in Niigata prefecture is expected to be injected with nuclear fuel in June next year to restart operations.

Previously, reactor No. 7 was refueled in April. However, to fully restore reactors No. 6 and No. 7, local consent and the construction of evacuation routes required by Niigata Prefecture are required.

In the context of the need for energy diversification, Japan sees the restart of nuclear reactors as an important part of its energy strategy. The reactivation of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant is part of this strategy.

Chugoku Electric Power Company announced on December 7 that it had restarted the Shimane nuclear power plant in western Japan, which was shut down immediately after the Fukushima disaster.

The restart of the plant's 820MW No. 2 reactor brings the number of operating reactors in Japan to 14, with a total capacity of more than 13.2GW.

Previously, all of Japan's nuclear reactors were forced to stop operating after the disaster at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant in 2011. According to Energy News , in September, the Japanese government approved a plan to speed up the recovery process of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant operated by Tepco.

Units 5, 6 and 7 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant (Photo: Niigata).

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, located between Kashiwazaki City and Kariwa Village in Niigata Prefecture, is the world's largest nuclear power plant with an area of ​​approximately 4.2 million square meters and a total installed capacity of 8.2GW. The plant, which opened in 1985, has seven reactors with capacities ranging from 1.1GW to 1.3GW.

After the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in 2011, the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant had to stop operating for a long time. The restoration of this plant is considered an important step in Japan's nuclear power recovery policy.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/nhat-ban-day-manh-khoi-dong-lai-cac-lo-phan-ung-hat-nhan-20241210123842700.htm