by Aliyeva Alimat
The planned restart of Reactor 6 at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa
nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, the world’s largest
nuclear facility, scheduled for January 20, has been postponed due
to a malfunction detected in the reactor’s alarm system,
Azernews reports.
The Kyodo news agency reported the delay, citing sources
familiar with the matter.
According to the report, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO),
the plant’s operator, conducted a test of the control rod
extraction system on January 17. During these tests, a fault was
discovered in the alarm system, prompting further safety
checks.
Specialists are currently performing additional inspections, a
process expected to take several days. As a result, the reactor’s
restart has been delayed, and a new date has not yet been
announced.
Earlier, local authorities had officially approved the restart
of two reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa. The plant, which has seven
reactors with a combined capacity of 8.2 gigawatts, is considered
the largest nuclear power facility in the world. All units were
shut down in 2012 following the Fukushima disaster, making any
restart a closely watched event both domestically and
internationally.
Experts note that the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant plays a key role
in Japan’s strategy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and meet its
climate goals. However, safety remains a top priority, and even
minor technical issues like this can significantly delay
operations, reflecting the caution exercised in Japan’s nuclear
industry post-Fukushima.