Kansai Electric Power Restarts Second Oldest Reactor in Japan

Kansai Electric Power (Kepco) has recently initiated the reactivation of its No. 2 reactor located at the Takahama nuclear facility in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan. This reactor, originally commissioned for commercial use back in 1975, stands as the second oldest in Japan. Notably, it marks the 12th reactor to be brought back online in the country since the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

With the resumption of operations for this particular reactor, Kansai Electric Power Co. has now successfully reinstated the functioning of all seven of its reactors. This achievement follows the implementation of more stringent safety standards, which were introduced in response to the nuclear crisis stemming from the Fukushima Daiichi complex. The Fukushima incident was triggered by a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in 2011. It’s worth highlighting that despite the Fukushima disaster, the Japanese government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, continues to emphasize the importance of nuclear power generation. This emphasis is driven by the objectives of reducing carbon emissions and ensuring a stable energy supply. In a significant move, Japan’s parliament passed a bill in May, allowing nuclear reactors in the country to operate beyond the previous limit of 60 years.