Govt eyes restart of 7 nuclear reactors

Jiji Press

15:11 JST, August 24, 2022

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry plans to bring seven additional nuclear reactors back online in summer next year and later as part of efforts to ensure stable electricity supply, informed sources said Wednesday.

The ministry aims to have a total of 17 nuclear reactors online, including 10 reactors that have already been approved to operate, to better prepare for possible electricity supply shortages, the sources said.

The seven additional reactors are the No. 6 and No. 7 reactors at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, the No. 2 reactor at Tohoku Electric Power Co.’s Onagawa plant, the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Takahama plant, the No. 2 reactor at Chugoku Electric Power Co.’s Shimane plant and the No. 2 reactor at Japan Atomic Power Co.’s Tokai No. 2 plant.

Of them, the Onagawa, Takahama and Shimane reactors have already been given local approval to go back online.

They will be able to resume operations once work to improve safety measures is complete.

The government plans to lead efforts to win local approval for the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa and Tokai reactors.