TEPCO’s Niigata Pref. Nuclear Power Plant Begins Transmitting Power to Tokyo Area, 1st Time in 14 Years

The Yomiuri Shimbun

6:00 JST, February 18, 2026

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. said the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in Niigata Prefecture has begun transmitting electricity to the Tokyo metropolitan area for the first time in 14 years.

According to TEPCO, the company conducted a test by connecting to the power grid at 2:55 a.m. on Monday and gradually ramping up output by 20% to 270,000 kilowatts. At 10 p.m., the plant began full-scale power transmission.

TEPCO said that it would increase the reactor’s output by 50%.

The firm plans to halt the reactor later this month to inspect for any abnormalities caused by temperature or pressure changes, after which the reactor will then be restarted and output will be raised to its full capacity.

Commercial operation is expected to begin on March 18, pending approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority. TEPCO estimates the No. 6 reactor can supply electricity to 3.75 million households if it operates stably for a month.

The No. 6 reactor was restarted on Jan. 21. However, the company halted operation on Jan. 23 after an alarm signaled an abnormality during the withdrawal of the control rods, which regulate the chain reaction of nuclear fusion. After identifying the cause and implementing preventive measures, TEPCO restarted the reactor again on Feb. 9.

A device that measures neutrons malfunctioned on Feb. 12 but functioned properly on Feb. 14 after parts were replaced.