In a watershed moment for Japan's energy policy, the Niigata prefectural government has today cleared the final hurdle for the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station, the world's largest nuclear facility.
The decision, expected to be formalised by Governor Hideyo Hanazumi this afternoon, paves the way for the reactors to go back online as early as January 2026. However, the approval comes against a backdrop of fierce local opposition and accusations that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has effectively bought public consent with a controversial £500 million (¥100 billion) financial package.
