Operational Ban on TEPCO Lifted, Paving Way for Reactor Restart

The decision allows preparations to resume at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, but local consent is still required.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has lifted an operational ban on Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), allowing the company to resume preparations for restarting the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant after a 12-year stoppage.
The decision removes an order that prohibited TEPCO from transporting new fuel into the plant or placing it into reactors, a necessary step for restarting Kashiwazaki-Kariwa's reactors.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, the world's largest nuclear power complex housing seven reactors, was partially damaged in a 2007 earthquake, causing distrust among local municipalities.
Before TEPCO can restart the reactors, it needs the consent of nearby residents.
The Japanese government recently began a push to restart as many reactors as possible to maximize nuclear energy and meet decarbonization targets.