The world’s largest thermal power plant, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, still grapples with the aftermath of Fukushima’s disaster and the threats of terrorism, which have significantly delayed its reopening. Initially, an earthquake had a profound impact on the plant, and the subsequent nuclear disaster in Fukushima led to its closure. Now, the threat of terrorism has become a major concern, with the plant’s owners, the Electric Company, working to implement robust anti-terrorist measures. As a result, the reopening of the plant, which was initially slated for this summer, has been postponed until 2029.
Reopening Delayed
The Electric Company has confirmed that the works for the reopening of the plant will not be completed until August 2029. This delay is primarily due to the need to implement robust anti-terrorist measures, particularly for reactor number 7, which has been inactive. The company had initially planned to complete the installation by March but now intends to finish the construction works in August 2029 to meet the anti-terrorist security measures established by the Japanese nuclear regulation authority.
The completion of the works for reactor number 6 will also be postponed until September 2031, beyond the previous objective of September 2026. This delay underlines the complexity and challenges involved in ensuring the plant’s safety and security. With a net power of 8,212 megawatts (MW), the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant is a critical component of Japan’s energy infrastructure, capable of supplying electricity to approximately 16 million homes.
A History of Challenges
The plant, which was inaugurated in 1985, has faced numerous challenges over the years. An earthquake in 2007 caused its closure for inspections and structural improvements, while the nuclear disaster in Fukushima led to a total closure of the installation. However, the owners, TEPCO, have taken this adversity as an opportunity to modernize the plant, improve the benefits of the reactors, and comply with the most demanding security standards set by the Japan Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA).
Among other measures, the company has implemented an intruder detection system to prevent terrorist attacks. However, the works have been complicated, and the horizon for the total reopening has been postponed by at least four more years. According to Takeyuki Inagaki, Tepco Superintendent at the plant, “it is difficult to foresee a construction schedule for a project of an unprecedented scale.”
Security Tests and Local Consent
The reactors, numbers 6 and 7, passed the security tests of the nuclear regulator in 2017, and the company loaded nuclear fuel in reactor number 7 in April last year. However, the restart of the reactors still requires local consent, and the governor of Niigata, Hideyo Hanazumi, must announce whether he will accept it. The plant remains inoperative from the nuclear blackout ordered by the Japanese authorities after the Atomic Disaster of Fukushima in March 2011.
In April 2024, the fuel load began for subsequent reactivation, approved by the Japanese atomic regulator after confirming that certain security improvements had occurred. The general director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (OIEA), Rafael Grossi, supported Japan’s plan to reactivate the plant as soon as possible, considering it an “important milestone” in the transition of the Asian country to a greater adoption of nuclear energy. The impartial evaluation of the organism has served to apply greater improvements to the plant, underscoring the importance of safety and security in the nuclear energy sector.