Japan has once again suspended the restart of the world’s largest nuclear power plant, just one day after operations resumed, following a technical alarm during startup procedures.
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata prefecture had been shut down since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. On Wednesday, its operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, began restart procedures after receiving final regulatory approval. However, the process was halted on Thursday when an alarm was triggered from the plant’s monitoring system.
TEPCO said engineers were forced to stop operations to investigate the issue, adding that it is unclear how long the suspension will last. Site superintendent Takeyuki Inagaki told reporters that the problem would not be resolved within a few days and that the company is fully focused on identifying the cause.
A company spokesperson explained that the alarm pointed to malfunctioning electrical equipment, prompting engineers to reinsert the reactor’s control rods in a planned and safe manner. TEPCO stressed that the reactor remains stable and that there has been no radioactive impact outside the facility.
The restart had already been delayed earlier this week due to a separate technical issue involving control rod removal, which the company said was resolved on Sunday.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the largest nuclear power station in the world by capacity, although only one of its seven reactors was involved in the restart attempt. Japan has been gradually reviving nuclear power to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, meet rising electricity demand, and work toward carbon neutrality by 2050.
Public opinion in Niigata remains divided, with many residents expressing concerns over safety risks and seismic activity in the area.
