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Niigata Assembly Backs Restart of World’s Largest Nuclear Plant, TEPCO’s First Since Fukushima

The approval advances Japan’s plan to cut fossil‑fuel imports by reviving nuclear power to supply up to 20% of electricity by 2040.

Tokyo Electric Power Company's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Kashiwazaki, Niigata, Japan on June 17, 2025.
A general view inside the Unit 7 reactor containment at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station in Niigata, Japan.
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)'s Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant, one of the world's largest nuclear facilities, stands along the seaside in Kashiwazaki, Niigata prefecture, Japan December 21, 2025.REUTERS/Issei Kato
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)'s Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant, one of the world's largest nuclear facilities, stands along the seaside in Kashiwazaki, Niigata prefecture, Japan December 21, 2025.REUTERS/Issei Kato

Overview

  • Niigata’s prefectural assembly approved a bill clearing Tokyo Electric Power Company to restart one reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa complex after more than a decade offline.
  • Kashiwazaki-Kariwa would be the first nuclear plant operated by TEPCO since the Fukushima disaster, at what is described as the world’s largest nuclear facility.
  • NHK reported TEPCO is aiming to bring Unit 6 online around January 20, though the company has not confirmed a specific date.
  • TEPCO says the site has completed safety upgrades, including new seawalls, watertight doors, mobile generators, additional fire trucks, and enhanced filtering systems.
  • A Niigata survey found 60% of residents say restart conditions are unmet and nearly 70% worry about TEPCO’s operation, even as officials say the first unit could lift power supply to the Tokyo area by about 2%.