Niigata Assembly Passes Confidence Vote for Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, Who Supported Nuclear Restart
Effectively Grants Approval for Plant Resumption
December 1, a view of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
On December 22, Reuters and the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) had cleared the final hurdle to restart Unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture, located in central Honshu, next January.
The Niigata Prefectural Assembly passed a vote of confidence on this day for Governor Hideyo Hanazumi, who had expressed his willingness to accept the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant operated by TEPCO. This decision is effectively interpreted as allowing the plant to resume operations.
Governor Hanazumi is expected to convey his consent to the national government as early as December 23, thereby completing the local approval process. Last month, he announced at a press conference his intention to permit the restart of the Kashiwazaki plant.
The Kashiwazaki plant has a total of seven reactors, and the current restart target is Unit 6. TEPCO aims to begin commercial operations within the 2025 fiscal year.
This marks the first time since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident that TEPCO, which operated the Fukushima plant, is restarting a nuclear reactor. Reuters noted that the Fukushima accident is considered "the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl."
Before the Great East Japan Earthquake, Japan had 54 nuclear reactors. However, following the Fukushima Daiichi accident, all reactors were temporarily shut down, and since then, some have resumed operation. Currently, a total of 14 reactors are in commercial operation. Japan has been increasing its nuclear utilization rate to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels.
However, some local residents continue to oppose the restart of the nuclear plant. According to Reuters, ahead of the vote, about 300 residents protested in front of the Niigata Prefectural Assembly in the cold weather, holding banners with messages such as "No Nuclear Power," "Oppose Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Restart," and "Support Fukushima." Most of the protest participants were reported to be elderly.
Nikkei reported that TEPCO is coordinating to restart Unit 6 around January 20 next year. It is generally known that it takes about three weeks to bring a reactor online.
A TEPCO spokesperson told Reuters, "We are firmly determined never to repeat such an accident," adding, "We will ensure that Niigata residents never experience a similar incident again." However, the spokesperson did not specify the exact timing of the restart.
Nikkei projected that the restart of the Kashiwazaki plant would contribute to stabilizing power supply in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
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