Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began trial power generation and transmission Monday from the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, the world’s largest nuclear facility, marking TEPCO’s first nuclear output since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. Full-scale electricity transmission is planned for March 18.
The turbine started operating Sunday evening, and electricity flowed Monday after no issues were detected. During the trial, TEPCO will repeatedly disconnect and reconnect the generator while gradually increasing output from 20% to full capacity. The No. 6 reactor had previously transmitted electricity in March 2012 before being shut down for routine inspections. Another reactor at the plant is expected to restart after receiving regulatory approval, though most Japanese reactors remain offline due to ongoing safety concerns.
The government aims to maximize nuclear energy as part of its decarbonization strategy, restarting reactors that meet strict safety standards. The No. 6 reactor initially restarted on Jan. 21 but was temporarily shut down after an alarm during control rod extraction and a subsequent neutron-measuring device malfunction before returning online on Feb. 9.
