Overview
- Reactor No. 6 began startup on Jan. 21 before TEPCO halted the process when control‑rod alarms persisted, with no new timetable to resume.
- TEPCO reports the unit is stable and shut down with no radiological release as engineers investigate an electrical fault in the control‑rod drive monitoring system.
- The company replaced control‑panel components but the alert continued after 52 of 205 rods were withdrawn, prompting a precautionary pause under regulator oversight.
- Kashiwazaki‑Kariwa, the world’s largest nuclear plant with seven reactors, secured national regulatory clearance and Niigata assembly approval for Unit 6, the first TEPCO‑operated restart attempt since 2011.
- The setback comes as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi targets about 20% nuclear generation by 2040, with local surveys showing roughly 60% opposition and evacuation plans estimating 18,600 immediate evacuees within 5 km.